Freak Week: Start Your Engines

Lots of brands have been bickering lately -- AirTran and Southwest, Nike and Adidas, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. So, it's nice to see category rivals having some fun together instead. Last week, Mini showed off its good humor by challenging Porsche to a race. Specifically, it suggested pitting its Cooper S model against Porsche's lauded 911 Carrera S. Mini USA president Jim McDowell talked trash in a YouTube video, and the brand placed an ad in the Times with the headline, "Bring it, Porsche." Copy reads: "You've got a pedigree. A cachet. And lots of owners with pastel sweaters draped over their shoulders. We're tired of Porsche always getting the best valet spots, right out in front of the restaurants. And we want to race you for them." Of course, in such a race, Mini would be expected to lose (172-horsepower vehicles tend to trail 385-horsepower ones), and therefore would have nothing to lose -- and everything to gain by being associated with a luxury performance brand. Unfortunately, after seriously considering the offer, Porsche politely declined -- probably figuring there wasn't much in it for them. "Porsche doesn't race for fame, stunts or publicity," the automaker said. "We race to challenge ourselves; we race to push sports car technology; we race to translate every win on the track to our cars on the road."A different kind of automotive challenge was issued in France last week -- an appeal to young people not to drink and drive, made via a classically gory new PSA. The spot, some five minutes long, created by Lowe Strateus for Securite Routiere, is probably the most gruesome safe-driving spot we've seen since last year's infamous texting-and-driving horror show from Wales. But it has its artful elements, too-playing around with time to weave together the story of a (vividly presented) car accident on a Saturday night involving a pack of young people and a police officer's visit to a mother's home the next morning. It's all in French, but the viewer needs no translation. It's also nicely shot, and suitably off-putting. But the question, as always, remains: Do shock tactics like these do anything to change young people's behavior?Just as expertly crafted, and powerful in a different way, was another French ad we featured last week: TBWA Paris' latest work for Amnesty International. The ad shows execution scenes -- a firing squad, a lynch mob, an electric chair -- with wax-figurine participants who literally melt away from their task. It's a poignant visual metaphor for outlawing the death penalty where it's still used. Still, the ad lacks an overt political argument for its position, and so might also have limited success in changing minds.Finally, we looked at a rare Emmy campaign last week: TBS' attempt to get Conan O'Brien honored for his work at NBC. Of course, TBS isn't being magnanimous by complimenting a rival network. It's mostly congratulating O'Brien himself, who has famously left NBC and begins a new show on TBS this fall.Best of Brandfreak: K-Y Solves all Marital ProblemsThe next time you're in trouble with the missus, just break out the K-Y. That's the message behind some new ads from MOTHER, New York, for K-Y Kissable Sensations, as reported by our sister blog last week. The brand's new sexy-time lubricant evokes the taste and smell of food, and apparently the promise of yummy glop breaks the ice between spouses who have recently had a falling out. In one ad, a woman isn't even speaking to her husband, until he produces the magic goo. To explain the product's efficacy, the ad uses time-worn metaphors for copulation like trains, cars jumping ramps and a bursting watermelon. One question for Mother: Why are the women always opting for the chocolate while the men get strawberry? Don't guys like chocolate, too?

Brand Marketing

Freak Week: Start Your Engines

Tim Nudd

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Tim Nudd