MINI Clubman Teaser Commercial

Ted Jun 11th, 2007 Link

Is that commercial telling me that a mini clubman is slow until you strap rockets to it?

The Blue Canary Jun 11th, 2007 Link

I want a turtle rocket!

GSKChicago Jun 11th, 2007 Link

Aren’t the pork council people going to be upset at MINI for “stealing” their tagline? Clubman: The other MINI vs. Pork: The other White Meat.

Nathaniel Salzman Jun 11th, 2007 Link

Uh…okay.

Drill Jun 11th, 2007 Link

Well, they could make it, Clubman: The other, OTHER MINI but then they’d have to worry about Fat Bastard suing them ;-)

Timothy Jun 11th, 2007 Link

Isn’t it the other new new MINI? Or the new other new new MINI?

eager2own Jun 11th, 2007 Link

Clubman: a turtle posing as a fast animal.
Interesting campaign — let me know how that works for ya.

Madeleine Jun 11th, 2007 Link

That’s just wrong…

SB Jun 11th, 2007 Link

The first thing that came to mind was when has the last time I saw the Brady Bunch. It had a 60’s feel about it.

mini vanilli Jun 11th, 2007 Link

Being in advertisting that commercial would ensure complete failure of the clubman in the US market.

mini vanilli Jun 11th, 2007 Link

………And might even take the MINI down with it. Thank god its not airing here.

Chilipepper Jun 11th, 2007 Link

How can you be certian the US approach will be different?

GoMiniGo Jun 11th, 2007 Link

that is __. undescribable bad….

They should do a commerical about team’s trying to get the world record to get the most people in a MINI and then show a ‘new’ team that shows up with a Clubman…

David Bayliss Jun 11th, 2007 Link

Bizarre is the right word.. I wouldn’t worry though as these adverts never seem to make it onto TV in Europe anyway, well not in the UK at least. I’ve only once caught an ad for the R56 on TV and before that haven’t seen any for several years.

Brian Jun 11th, 2007 Link

There’s already a Rocket man. Whats wrong with a Rocket turtle?

Billy Jun 11th, 2007 Link

This ad was shown to us at the unveiling of the Clubman to associates at Plant Oxford. Look out for many ‘viral’ forms of advertising in the coming weeks and months - one that sticks in my mind is a typical family photo, Dad, Mum, 2 daughters and then ‘The OTHER Niedermayer’ - A young boy with punk clothing and full Mohecan! lol

TulsaMINI Jun 11th, 2007 Link

Here’s another one: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/644049/extremelyweirdminicoopervideo/

TulsaMINI Jun 11th, 2007 Link

Try that again….
Another one.

JS Jun 11th, 2007 Link

Very Lame…….really makes me want one….NOT!

Chili_Chi Jun 11th, 2007 Link

the second one is even weirder

{random funny ad quote: “it’s filet o’ fish”}

Aurel Jun 11th, 2007 Link

hahah … original MINI marketing was aimed at people who either “get it” or not … the US ones got a little “obvious” lately

not a brilliant ad by any means but still funny.

Timmee Jun 11th, 2007 Link

what utter crap! that is well bad…

Nathaniel Salzman Jun 11th, 2007 Link

Just to clear up the oft misuse of the word, “viral” doesn’t simply mean weird or unexpected. It comes up a lot when we talk about MINI advertising so it seems worth clearing up. True viral marketing simply uses unconventional media outlets to create “buzz” - something people will tell their friends about - thereby spreading and self-perpetuating the message (like a virus). Also, the best examples of viral make you unsure where the message or video or whatever came from. In context of MINI, the “MINI Robot” campaign and even Hammer & Coop are good examples of viral. For quite a while, people weren’t sure if it was real, or an elaborate hoax. When the Hammer & Coop trailers showed up in theaters, it wasn’t immediately clear that it was a marketing ploy. Quickly, but not instantly, anyway.

Anyway, just wanted to clear up the semantics. These seem to be more conventional ads, just with a very odd concept.

Gabe Jun 11th, 2007 Link

Anyway, just wanted to clear up the semantics. These seem to be more conventional ads, just with a very odd concept.

Actually I’d call the concept rather straight-forward. It’s the execution that most would find “odd”.

Nathaniel Salzman Jun 11th, 2007 Link

Ha ha! Good call, Gabe - that’s what I meant. Nothing like misuse of terms in a post explaining word usage. My next post will be about irony.

Vanwall Jun 11th, 2007 Link

Well, kiddies, that was interesting, if not really elucidating or illuminating. I presume “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” is next in line. I get the drift, tho, I’m not that obtuse, but hopefully it plays like that to everyone. I’d take the last video for a Chinese meat market commercial, which makes them all edible, so the prime cut aspect is a bit disingenuous, but that’s pretty disturbing IMHO - I prefer the links to the bimbos that accompanies it, m’self.

Samantha Jun 11th, 2007 Link

That music is SO annoying. I know the ads’ creators were trying to be ironic and hip, but it just sets my teeth on edge - not the desired response when you want people to shell out $25K on a car.

Brian Jun 11th, 2007 Link

So everything else in the ad is “Living” and the Clubman is “Dead Meat”?

stan Jun 11th, 2007 Link

I don’t get the comparisons. OK the first one I do, Birds vs a turtle, but the second CM??? They are ALL meat, which one is different???

SB Jun 11th, 2007 Link

I had my wife watch the commercial. Guess what. The song is from Sesame Street and we have a kid. If the Clubman is aimed at women with children, families, then the commercial makes sense. Mothers remember these kids songs. And who do you see in most SUV’s, station wagons and mini vans? Mothers.

SB Jun 11th, 2007 Link

Sesame Street. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyNgfcIIaeE

joey drama Jun 11th, 2007 Link

i think the rocket turtle thing is supposed to mean “you wouldnt think its fast but it is.” the second one is just disturbing

Brian Jun 11th, 2007 Link

Whats more disturbing is whether it’s bird, rabbit or dog meat on the plate.

GZ Jun 11th, 2007 Link

I thought it was kinda funny. Gotta hand it to Mini. They are always…different.

Beavers Jun 11th, 2007 Link

I enjoyed the wedgie video, though…

Beavers

Kurt Jun 12th, 2007 Link

I agree with mini vanilli. I too, work in advertising. These commercials would meet with utter derision. The meat one is simply confusing.
Ads like these, were they to air (I suspect they’re only viral, for cautiousness/testing purposes) on American broadcast TV, would make me embarassed to be a MINI owner. They make the brand seem goofy and feeble and have 0 masculinity in them. I’m not saying the MINI is a macho car, per se, but it’s not a Beetle and why foster a perception that’s already out there that it IS a girly car.
Why not extoll the handling & quick pick-up? The FUEL economy?
duh.
The best MINI TV spot I’ve seen is for Bridgestone tires. At the end, it shows a MINI flying down a road and doing a 225 degree slide into a gas station spot.

TT Jun 13th, 2007 Link

Not very entertaining commercials by MINI standards but… I did enjoy seeing a cute puppy

Seth L Jun 13th, 2007 Link

I like it, the steak is an odd choice, but these feel like Wieden & Kennedy adds, wich isn’t a bad way to go.

Also, hit’s my nostalgia button dead-on.

Nigel Jun 14th, 2007 Link

What ad agency made these commercials?

-Nigel