Ad of the Day: Jaguar

An ad touting excellent gas mileage or a turbo-powered engine or a spectacularly designed exterior isn't enough to sell a car these days. What you need, apparently, is a narrative of cinematic proportions. Throw in an of-the-moment actor and an original song by a buzzy artist, and you've got Jaguar's short film for the F-Type convertible.

The 15-minute branded film from agency Brooklyn Brothers and Ridley Scott's RSA Films, titled Desire, won't be out for the foreseeable future. But this week, after releasing several behind-the-scenes featurettes—something that's becoming increasingly common for even the lowliest ads—Jaguar has unveiled a full teaser trailer. It stars Homeland actor Damian Lewis (also a Brit, which we've hopefully all figured out by now) and Shannyn Sossamon (who you probably last saw in 2001's A Knight's Tale), and even features an original song, aptly titled "Burning Desire," by pretty, dead-eyed warbler Lana Del Rey.

Based on the 1:20 spot, here's what we can deduce: Desire appears to be the tale of a car delivery gone terribly wrong. Lewis, playing suited deliveryman Sydney Clark, is attempting to get a shiny red Jaguar F-Type to a wealthy businessman. But because "in the desert, nothing is simple" (according to the title cards, or possibly an old desert saying), he ends up caught in a fight between a gangster and the gangster's ex-wife. Played by Sossamon, the ex-wife's main job seems to be brandishing a gun inches away from Lewis's head while yelling at him to drive. Meanwhile, her gangster ex takes occasional breaks from waving his own piece to call Lewis "Prince Harry" and hyperventilate into a paper bag.

Yes, it's more than a little reminiscent of BMW Films from 2001. But all in all, it looks like good fun.

CREDITS

Client: Jaguar

Agency: Brooklyn Brothers

Production Company: RSA Films

Director: Adam Smith