[normalizer]

Just saw a Volkswagen commercial on Comedy Central a few moments ago with a very subtle cooper reference....

guy drives up early in the morning to a friend's home in his newly aquired car. he rings the friends doorbell several times but the friend doesn't wake up.

he must be feeling horrible shame and disgust in his bad choice in cars as he starts yelling "COOPER! COOPER! COOPER!" at the top of his lungs towards the skies.

Originally upon viewing I figured the sleeping friend must be named Cooper, but after thinking about it a minute I realized the truth.

Thanks Volkswagen!

COOPER! COOPER! COOPER!

[RedShift42]

Its very possible the "Cooper" reference is coincidental. That ad originally came out over a year ago (I believe back when VW was still using Arnold advertising agency).

However, if we want to start speculating as to why VW would resurrect an old ad and the psychology of using a lazy, unconscious character sharing the namesake of their forthcoming competition....


Still, Normalizer, I like your take on it.

[jabellas]

I am a senior executive at Arnold Worldwide and VW is still our flagship account in the US. The use of 'Cooper' is coincidental, it was just a cool buddy name.

BTW, WCRS, our main agency in the UK does the advertising for the new mini in the UK (as well as BMW). The campaign is 'it's a mini adventure' and the ads are hilarious.

J.

[RedShift42]

Oops.

That shows how out of it I am now, I used to pay closer attention to these things.
I was certain that I'd read somewhere that VW had dropped Arnold. This seemed to coincide w/ the change in ad styles too, so it made enough sense. Sorry for the confusion.

(On a related note, I really like the ad w/ the tour thru the engine. And please find some more ways to drop cars out of the sky-- I couldn't get enough of that one!)


Too bad your "MINI Adventure" ads couldn't be brought across the Atlantic and run here as-is. I bet ads from a different market would really cut through the noise and give the American public a sense that the MINI is a uniquely Brit experience.

So are you in the Boston office, jabellas?

[normalizer]

how bout a Mento's type ad with the car weaving in and out, screaming through twisties, and then parking in a tiny spot. driver gets out and MINI - the SMILE maker....


lame I know but you're the professional.

or Paul Revere and the Raiders singing a newly penned song called THE BRITISH ARE COMING! If not I think KICKS would be fitting....

[jabellas]

I am not on the creative side so they would not pay much attention to any ideas I were to bring up ;-)

You can check out a couple of the british ads at WCRS' website not my favorite ones but I think there were some rights issues. While you are there, check out the BMW TV ad,it is brilliantly understated.

I do work in the Boston office btw and the change in style was quite deliberate since all car advertising is starting to look like the old VW ads.

J.

PS: I also forgot to mention that a sister interactive agency did the USA web site for mini, circle.com and the USA advertising for Mini is being done by Crispin Porter Bogusky out of Miami with whom we share the American Legacy foundation account (National anti-smoking 'Truth')

[Casey]

Interesting to see cirle.com also did the intranet site for IBM where I work. Also interesting to see they have done some sites for vw as well.

Cheers

[RedShift42]

Quote:

Originally posted by jabellas
PS: I also forgot to mention that a sister interactive agency did the USA web site for mini, circle.com and the USA advertising for Mini is being done by Crispin Porter Bogusky out of Miami with whom we share the American Legacy foundation account (National anti-smoking 'Truth')

Ack.
If the MINI ads come off even remotely as sanctimonious and self-impressed as the 'Infect Truth' campaign, I'm buying an Acura RSX instead, then using my refunded MINI deposit to buy cartons of smokes for teenagers.

[jabellas]

Oh cynical one, your 'outside of the demographic' age is showing ;-)