If a VW were a MINI, then yes it would work. ;-) But that’s a pretty big if. No matter what, your product has to live up to its brand promises. Look at BP lately. After branding themselves “the green energy company”, they failed to live up to it and now they just look like big green liars to the world market.

A lot of people seem to think that advertising is just making stuff up, but the best brands tell the truth – something that CP+B did very well with MINI. VW has a similar heritage of great driving experience, so it’s not surprising that they’d look to push a lot of the same buttons in their creative. Sad to see derivative pieces though. Copying yourself looks pretty lame though.

Book of Motoring vs Jetta Backseat Drivers Manual.

VW’s new auto show booth design vs. MINI’s original booth design?

Rabbit Transit System print ads currently running vs. MINI Motor Courses print from 2003?

I guess if it worked for MINI, it still works for VW?

Shame on them.

Plus, BSSP isn’t CP+B and I wish they’d stop trying to imitate – or is this just transitional creative gone wrong?

To me these fall squarely in what Seth Stevenson calls “odd-vertising.” They’re weird, but not interesting. They’re cute-sy, but not actually funny. And once you finally get to the “bugs have feelings too” website, all its clever concept is over in about 3 seconds and worth all of half a chuckle. And for that reason, they’re not even really viral. The whole concept of viral marketing isn’t that it’s strange or unconventional, but that you don’t actually realize that it’s advertising until your very engaged in it, and by then you kind of don’t care. A little MINI doing a sliding stop after a cockroach conversation is not viral marketing, it’s just a bad concept.

And for those who are curious, it’s this kind of stuff that kills brands – at least that’s what I think. The antithesis being MINI Canada’s “Dominating Winter” web feature on MINI.ca. It’s engaging, unconventional, hilarious, and completely benefit-centric. Unlike so many other cars on the road out there, the MINI actually has a lot of very unique features and capabilities to offer the driving public – personality not included. The challenge to the advertisers is to find interesting and unique ways to tell me about the car, not simply attaching the car to something weird and noticeable.

A streaker will get a lot of attention, but he’s a lousy spokesman for a product. Well, maybe running shoes. :-)

professional disclaimer – I fully appreciate and respect that this is a group of peoples’ hard work. It’s simply my impression of the outcome, and my own opinion. Steering a brand is no easy thing – we all deal with it every day in this industry. So to everybody over at BSSP, I mean no disrespect. In addition to these which I didn’t like, I’ve seen some great outdoor and other fun stuff from you folks for MINI. So keep up the good work.

If your vin doesn’t work, make sure it is in all caps.

These are a little more fun than the transforming robot thing at least.