Striking Land Rover Spot Delivers One Into the Beyond
This is one of those commercials which we, after viewing, usually say something like, "Damn, it took them long enough to make their point!" But, we're not going to say that about this new Land Rover commercial created by RKCR/Y&R and voiced by Ewan McGregor. This mini film is so enveloping, so lush, so celebratory, so entrancing, so uplifting, so motivational, so encouraging, so everything, it doesn't matter what it's selling. However, Land Rover has chosen to position itself as the enabler in making one's dreams come true, to assist in achieving one's goals to clearly illustrate there are no barriers that can not be overcome if one casts aside the rule book and follows their heart.
OK, yes, it's just a car commercial selling a piece of steel that provides transportation from point A to point B but there's no reason why that piece of steel can't become the genesis through which one travels beyond the confines of everyday life and into a place where the mundane trappings of everyday life are irrelevant, superfluous and pointless. This spot illustrates the power of the open road. Of impulse. Of belief in one's dreamt but rarely acted upon desires. Land Rover wants us to believe they are the conduit through which these dreams will be realized. After viewing this commercial, we're kinda sold.
Comments
I apologize in advance if you find the following comments offensive. I once downloaded a 'banned' commercial of some car. They focus the car from a distance. It is parked in a busy district. A man from a Muslim country (I shouldn't mention which one ...) is sitting on the driver's seat. Suddenly a bomb explodes (yup, he's a suicide bomber). The whole area just shatters and turns into rubble. The man's body turns to ash. And obviously - all that is left is the car!
I'm sorry, but I'm also going to have to apologise for any language I use in the following comment.
What a pile of self-indulgent balls. I thought ads like this stopped getting made 10 years ago. I thought that clients had begun to understand that ads like this aren't "aspirational" or "uplifting" or fucking "entrancing". They're nonsense, and the only people they have any relevance for are 80s-obsessed advertising executives and creatives.
leeanddan.com did the fizz mentioned 'spec' VW ad and I'm pretty sure Steve Hall wrote about two yrs. ago. VW lawyers scrambled to disavow and suits were filed in London...now both London mad geniuses Lee and Dan enjoy(ed) a slice of the VW viral account. As to Tim's LR spot...I enjoyed quite a bit of the footage and would be inclined to maintain my potato studly stasis with repeat viewings as opposed to spots that are way too direct and bore to tears after two viewings in 30 minutes.
Could've gone without the gratuitous frontal shot of a running man's junk.
This commercial is much better with the volume off. "Throw caution to the wind"? "Make the ordinary EXTRAordinary"? As insightful and tightly-written as a high school yearbook signature.
Here's all the articles on the VW Suicide Bomber thing:
VW Promotes Car With Terrorist Bombing
Volkwagen Denies Responsibility For Suicide Bomber Ad
Volkswagen Plans Legal Action Against 'Suicide Bomber' Creators
Director of VW Suicide Bomber Ad Revealed
Lee And Dan Apologize For VW Suicide Ad
"As insightful and tightly-written as a high school yearbook signature." ZING.
haha.
I have to agree with that last one...it IS better without the voiceover.
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