Comments on: MF Exclusive: World Premier MINI Commercial

By: blalor

blalor — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 14:23:39 +0000

Not sure how this works, Gabe, but can you change the video on Google to allow download of the original? Like for the video iPod? It’ll save me the FLV→mp4 step with iSquint. ;-)

By: JCA

JCA — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 07:41:34 +0000

Wow, some of these negative commenters are anal-retentive to the point of nausea. You all are some serious monday morning quaterbacks, nitpicking and over-analyzing a friggin 60-second commercial!

Since when is a commercial suppossed to be a profound and deeply meaningful form of communication? When did it become more than just an entertaining way to make people remember that you've got something to sell?

I've seen fanaticism for many things and with all due respect, yours is pathetic at best. I own an 05 Cooper S. I love it like I love cake.....I'm not IN LOVE with cake though. Save your energy and passion for things that aren't so inanimate.

By: David Lalonde

David Lalonde — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 18:38:42 +0000

Regardless of what MINI is used, the ad sends the same message and will move people to buy MINI if they buy the message, R50 or R56 or whatever MINI is current. Looking at all the new ads and photos, and showing potential MINI owners the photos and ads, I am struck by how similar the two MINIs look and how little non-owners appreciate the differences. You, as MINIacs, had to look pretty close to see this was an ’06 and not the new ’07. I really don’t think it matters. They could play this ad with positive effect even when all the ’06s are gone.

By: Neil

Neil — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 00:12:30 +0000

Dealers will still be selling the rest of the R50 and R53s in stock thru the middle of Feb. And a little holiday advertising cant hurt.

By: msh441

msh441 — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 23:21:09 +0000

Cute ad… but why spend money filming an ad featuring a car that is no longer in production? Especially when the R56 is readily available for film, at least (if not yet on the road in some parts of the world).

By: dickdavid

dickdavid — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 04:10:12 +0000

NEVER MIND. I assumed this was an R56 spot. It pays to actually read the lead-in for the video.

By: dickdavid

dickdavid — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 04:06:48 +0000

BTW, I took a screen capture. Isn't Text to link an R50?

By: dickdavid

dickdavid — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 04:00:37 +0000

All I know is I'm glad I'm not the one going against the grain this time. I don't think I could handle the backlash again. ;)

I completely respect the fact that you have your own perspective on this, Nathaniel.

For me, it's hard to see MINI with such a brilliant background of strategic brand development (that was weaned on a shoestring budget), go from cleverly articulating it's brand through award winning guerrilla campaigns, to such a subtle gesture on such a large scale, high dollar campaign. You can't help but respect CP&B for what they've done for MINI.

I still like the spot. I still think it does a better job than most car commercials. However, speaking from what we're used to, I think BSSP has some big shoes to fill.

By: tony T

tony T — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 23:39:54 +0000

The black SUV simply represents the brutish charging Bull, the Mini the gracefull and agile Matador. It simply shows that small = agile, large = lumbering. As such, the SUV is the only choice possible to express the difference between the two. Not sure its such a dig at SUV's in general, more a celebration of how small = perfect.

Its a good advert, but needed a punchline.

By: Luke

Luke — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 22:44:03 +0000

No need for a complex analysis of a simple concept. The commercial illustrates SUV’s = bad, MINIs = awesomeness. If that doesn’t tell you to buy a MINI over an SUV, the only other way to do that would be creating a commercial actually saying “Buy a MINI over a POS SUV.” PS – this commercial is awesome, black and red would have been the better choice.

By: gokartride

gokartride — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 21:36:26 +0000

Cute ad!! Not particularly meaningful…just fun, and I’m all for that. The abrupt cut to the MINI logo at the end with “ole” was sharp and added a lot an otherwise very “cimema verite” piece.

By: Ted

Ted — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 20:57:40 +0000

Commercial makes you think of the cool symbolism… Placement on Super Bowl Sunday might be too expensive. PRE-game show rates might be better… But it would create strong buzz on Monday morning. Then watch the charge into the dealerships to place 2007 orders….(MSRP + premium pricing) here we go again. (A MINI lifestyle)

By: Chrissy

Chrissy — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 18:47:35 +0000

Love the commercial! Interesting that they’re using an 06 though….

By: Aurel

Aurel — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 18:37:21 +0000

Cute little ad … but I think BSSM has yet to show me something great since they took over. All their ads have been kind like “middle finger in the air” to the non Mini drivers … which is a very non MINI thing in itself.

However, as I see BMW IS going after the “masses” with the new gen which typically have this type of mentality … well in that case this stuff might work.

By: Nathaniel Salzman

Nathaniel Salzman — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 18:20:51 +0000

I feel like youÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢re not seeing the forest for the trees with this spot.

Yeah, maybe so. Perhaps the message will grow on me. I never could see those Magic Eye things. Ha ha!

By: drew

drew — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 18:15:27 +0000

gentlemen: the car being in the ad is more than enough. people get the "mini thing" - no explanations required.

i think the ad works perfectly. those who don't get it aren't right for the brand.

those who do get it are exactly mini's target demographic.

makes sense to me - drew

By: Gabe

Gabe — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 18:04:22 +0000

I disagree with you here in that as a commercial, it doesn't seem to be "saying" much at all. It's a great little :60 movie, don't get me wrong. I actually really like it. There just isn't any real messaging there, IMO - or at least it's too subtle for me. It's like a great story with a weak moral. I don't think it's a bad commercial. I just don't think it's a great commercial. And that's just my opinion. It's easy to be a Monday morning quarterback.

I feel like you're not seeing the forest for the trees with this spot.

By: Nathaniel Salzman

Nathaniel Salzman — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 17:56:03 +0000

I’ll also add that if this were part of a “MINI Hero” series – sort of a more conceptual and artful version of the BMW Films series – I’d be all about it.

By: Nathaniel Salzman

Nathaniel Salzman — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 17:51:19 +0000

Quoting Gabe:

I really donÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t think BSSP and MINI USA are directly comparing an SUV and a Cooper in this spot. I donÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t think itÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s really anything more than a light-hearted jab at what our society has become and how much better a MINI way of life is. What we think we need vs what we really need

I don't think they're trying to, but that's what I get out of it. In my post, I'm not saying this is a MINI vs SUV comparison commercial as much as I'm asking if it's a MINI vs SUV commercial. Whatever the deeper message is, it's so subtle that I'm not seeing it. Where's the beef? Why should I care? Why could only a MINI do this and not a Ford Focus?

Quoting myself:

ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…â€œSUVs suckÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Â - is that the message? Is that why I should want a MINI? Because itÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s not an SUV?

My problem isn't the comparison in and of itself in this spot as much as not knowing if that's what the spot is trying to communicate in the first place. I came away with MINI vs. SUV and that just seems like a poor positioning move to me without something else to flush it out.

Quoting Gabe again:

The spot is all about brand value, every single move the MINI makes in the spot speaks to the brand.

I disagree with you here in that as a commercial, it doesn't seem to be "saying" much at all. It's a great little :60 movie, don't get me wrong. I actually really like it. There just isn't any real messaging there, IMO - or at least it's too subtle for me. It's like a great story with a weak moral. I don't think it's a bad commercial. I just don't think it's a great commercial. And that's just my opinion. It's easy to be a Monday morning quarterback.

Quoting VMMVMMM:

I donÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t know how Nathaniel could have possibly missed the MINI vs. SUV message that has been overtly communicated in their advertising over the years, so that wasnÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t an issue for me.

I guess there's more than I remembered - clever headlines and such. But even with the jabs, I never felt like MINI was actually positioning itself in the market or in the minds of consumers relative to SUVs. I get a little of that from this ad - more than in their past communications. That's all I'm getting at. I don't think that "SUV Alternative" is a good place to position the MINI. And yes, I know that isn't what their going for, that's just a little of what I get from this spot as an advertisement. If this were more of a viral thing, It wouldn't bother me at all.

By: VMMVMMM

VMMVMMM — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 17:14:47 +0000

I thought it was a fun little video, but not anything really special. I don’t know how Nathaniel could have possibly missed the MINI vs. SUV message that has been overtly communicated in their advertising over the years, so that wasn’t an issue for me. But maybe that is because I live in SUV land out here in the west and that might be more emphasized in my part of the country. Looking and hoping for something even more fun, though. But maybe I’m just used to the old company’s style.