I’ve noticed that since Jaguar Land Rover has had to go cap-in-hand to the government to ask for loans it has introduced an advert that essentially shows the Discovery 3 to be pretty useful. JLR’s in a pretty precarious state at the moment, but it’s product range is strong and I back it to survive.
This is probably where JLR should be going with their ads, especially at a time like this. It screams ‘quaint, British, stylish, cash savings’, which is a good idea. But this wasn’t always the case. These two viral ads, which were officially-sanctioned, which features posho sports people Josh Lewsey and Zara Philips sneering at commoners. The ads were internet-only and designed to show Land Rover’s support for rugby union and eventing. A laudable aim, and although showing your heroes cheerfully covering the less well-off in dog piss and horse mucus may annoy a few people in the sticks, it probably went down very well among Land Rover’s braying target demographic.
Frankly, I’d like JLR to continue this theme. Perhaps an advert featuring Test Match Special journalist Christopher Martin-Jenkins blasting away at a group of hoodies with a twelve-gauge from his Rangey is in order. Or Sue Barker tying up Jeff Brazier to the front of her Defender and driving into a wall? Or why not go the whole hog and simply have Prince Philip urinating directly onto the faces of street urchins?
I await Land Rover’s new viral campaign with anticipation.