Analysis of the Jaguar F Series Coupe Launch Campaign
(Instructor Name)
Introduction
The report examines the television advertisement used for the launch of the F Type Sports Coupe by Jaguar during the American Super Bowl in February 2014. The ad has subsequently been used for launch activities of the car across all English speaking markets.
The ad can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Bls1KKDwmo (Jaguar, 2014a)
The theme chosen has been British villains and the tagline “It’s Good To Be Bad”
The ad is directed by renowned Australian-British film and television Director Tom Hooper (IMDb, 2014), who directed The King’s Speech (2012) and Les Miserables (2010). The theme stems from the simple fact that all the good Hollywood villains are British. Using a series of shots showcasing three well-known British actors who have played villains – Tom Hiddleston (Loki from Thor and The Avengers), Ben Kingsley (from Ironman) and Mark Strong (Sinestro from Green Lantern), the clip expands on the theme and relates it to the product.
Tom Hiddleston in the ad
Ben Kingsley in the ad
Mark Strong in the ad
Target Audience
The target audience for the initial ad was the American audience as it was launched during television live coverage of the Super Bowl, the championship game for American Football, one of the most widely viewed sporting events in the country. Given the pricing and luxury persona of the brand, the car is obviously aimed at the well-to-do, upper crust segment of the audience. This is reflected in the fact that the settings for all three actors are a helicopter, a private jet, a palatial mansion which is also the rendezvous at the climax of the ad, and a gleaming white Jaguar F Type sports coupe. The entire ad is set in London, with a British double-decker bus and the London Eye appearing in one of the shots. This further enhances the British identity relating to the brand.
Double decker bus and the London Eye
Advertising intention
The ad is one minute long and showcases various setting in London (Business Insider, 2014). The Director uses the characteristics of the villains and their dialogues to bring attention the attributes of the car.
In the first shot, in a control room in a palatial mansion, Ben Kingley asks “Have you noticed that in all Hollywood movies the villains are all Brits?” to which Mark Strong, featured getting out of a private jet, comments “Maybe we just sound right” and Tom Hiddleston, flying over London in a helicopter replies “We're more focused, more precise.” To which Strong adds “We're always one step ahead”, and Kisgley says “A certain style, eye for detail” to which Hiddleston adds “We're obsessed by power”. As the helicopter with Hiddleston is shown flying in a helicopter towards Buckingham Palace, he comments with a cup of tea held delicately in his hand “A stiff upper lip is key” with Strong then adding “And we all drive Jaguars” as he gets out of the vehicle at the rendezvous where all three come together and Ben Kingsley says “Oh yes, It’s good to be bad”. At this point, all three are under the intense spotlight from a number of high power lamps mounted around them.
Each of the dialogues covers an attribute of the car. The references are:
Sound right – referring to the engine
More focused, more precise – the shape and outline
Certain style, Eye for detail – uniqueness, and luxury in the details
Always one step ahead – better than the competition, more advanced
Obsessed by power – the engine capacity
A stiff upper lip – Suspension (one scene also has the benefit of Hiddleston delicately holding a cup of tea, so the reference is to the stability of the vehicle)
We all drive Jaguars – all these traits can be found in the Jaguar
The ad showcases the product (Jaguar F Type Sports Coupe) as being for someone who sets his own rules – the ad is definitely male-oriented since all the lead characters are men portraying strong characters – belongs to a select group and gives the impression of knowing what he wants (Adage, 2014). And as the closing shot indicates, it is meant for someone who enjoys being the focus of attention, of being in the spotlight.
Time of Placement
The advertisement is meant to offer a preview of the car for luxury customers, and highlight its features. Since the Super Bowl is one of the biggest events in American sports and is covered live on major channels like ESPN, it is also one of the most expensive ad spots to buy throughout the year. By televising the ad during the event, the brand wants to portray the fact that the product is for the few elite who can afford it, who belong to a separate class, since buying a sports coupe which is a self-driven car, is a highly involved decision.
Advertising channel
The ad was aired on sports channels in the US during the Super Bowl, guaranteeing it viewership by millions of people across the country. The brand also coined its own tagline “It’s Good To Be Bad” and used it as a hash-tag #itsgoodtobebad for its social media campaigns on Twitter and Facebook. Jaguar also set up a website www.britishvillains.com, to integrate and expand the theme, as well as use the site as a landing point for its digital media campaigns (Adweek, 2014), where visitors could find information about the car. Print ads featuring the three main characters and the car were also released in major publications. Jaguar even covered New York trains with wrap-ups of the ad (Mashable, 2014).
Website screenshot of britishvillains.com
NY Subway train covered with the Jaguar ad
Print ad of Jaguar F Type
Intention of the Ad
The key purpose of the ad was to bring the Jaguar brand to the notice of the American public as a sports car brand of repute and having a discerning class to it. The Jaguar as a British brand has not made much impact in the US, and the objective was to launch the car as well as build the brand around Jaguar and its associated emotions. Jaguar is largely known for its upper class sedans and the concept of a British sports car competing with the likes of Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini (all popular Italian brands of sports cars) needed to be reinforced. The only British brand associated with sports cars is Aston Martin, due to its association with the James Bond character. The build-up to presenting Jaguar as a sports car for the discerning category of customer was therefore very well done, and the idea was to prompt the customer to find out more about the brand.
Perception
Since the ad was originally targeted at the US audience – the focus is on reinforcing the British origins of the brand. The opening lines from Ben Kingsley mention this fact, as does the depiction of the various locales across London, such as the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and the London Double-decker bus, as well as the final mansion where the rendezvous of all three characters happens. Even props like the delicate china cup of tea that Hiddleston is shown holding add to the very British touch of the ad. Using the imagery and the pronounced British accents of all three actors, the sound score is that of a thriller sequence in a movie which further enhances the very British tone of the ad. The sound was recorded with the London Symphony orchestra (Jaguar, 2014b) and has the right tone for the ad.
The central characters are built up to be very cool, sophisticated, and smart and know what they want (Daily Mail, 2014). They dominate the scenes – they are villains and they control the screenplay after all. This is the aspect played upon by the director in saying that villains are the true powerhouse, their ability to take what they want is strength. These are the people who get where they want to go. This personification is created with the objective of generating emotional response from the target audience for the ad – executives and professionals, people who have achieved their ambitions with sophistication should be driving a Jaguar.
A scene from the ad
Buyer Process
This is a product launch advertisement and is aimed at generating awareness of the product and its features among the target audience. The ad does this successfully by showcasing the capabilities of the car being driven. Initially the car starts from an airport tarmac to give the impression of its speed and acceleration. The car is then driven along London’s roads (actually driven by Mark Strong). The car’s handling in terms of its ability to precisely match the speed of a London bus, so that the driver can peer inside at the passengers, its ability to take sharp turns and brake sharply at the destination are all showcased. The media clip also incorporates the sound of the car’s engine while accelerating and braking into the sound track along with the background score. This defines the features and benefits of the car.
On the airport tarmac
With the helicopter
The ad also defines the target audience at whom the ad is aimed. With visualizations of a private jet, a helicopter and a mansion, the setting defines the kind of customer who drives a Jaguar – well-to-do, sophisticated. The casting of the characters also supports this effort. All the actors are men (with a brief glimpse of a woman who hands over the keys to Mark Strong when he exits the jet) and the passengers on the bus (whom we cannot see). Each has a dominating persona that captures attention, without being brash (Daily News, 2014). The person is that of someone who owns the world and can make things happen at the flick of a wrist or nod of the head. Someone who is in control and knows what he wants. Suave, sophisticated, charming, powerful and confident – this is the image of the typical Jaguar owner portrayed by the advertisement. The verbal message “It’s good to be bad” underlines this personality.
Involvement Level
The advertisement generates immediate connect with the audience, mainly due to the three actors who are shown – all are successful British actors with well-known films and roles to their credit. The locations in the clip are also easily recognized, specifically by the target audience as they would have possibly traveled to London at some point of time. All the symbols in the ad depict the two main messages of the ad – it is British and it is sophisticated luxury, meant for select few men. This is the underlying subtext that the advertisement manages to convey.
Marketing Mix
PRODUCT: The featured product is the new sports coupe from Jaguar called the F type. The car is shown in several shots in the clip, and it is seen in action as well as standing still. This helps outline the features of the vehicle in terms of its exterior looks etc. as well as its capabilities. Since the entire clip is shot at night, the car in white presents a stark contrast and can be seen very clearly against the rest of the background. The shots of the car have been taken from various angles to ensure that complete visibility is given to the features. A couple of shots of the interior are also seen during the clip.
PRICE: No Price is mentioned specifically; however, based on the target audience depicted by the actors, the pricing can be confidently gauged as belonging to the luxury segment, since the actors are shown as people who travel in helicopters and private jets, and live in mansions.
PLACEMENT: The advertisement was first placed in the Super Bowl (New York Times, 2014). This is the championship game in American Football and is watched by millions throughout the country. It is one of the largest (if not THE largest) sporting event held annually in the United States. Due to the guaranteed viewership, ad spots cost a super-premium. Therefore, the ad not only ensures that the reach is maximized, but also the exclusivity of the product is depicted. This is the first time that Jaguar has done an ad during the Super Bowl and it goes a long way in underlining the premium image of the brand.
PROMOTION: The objectives of the ad are to create a very strong British association of the brand with the audience, to showcase the features of the vehicle including its looks and capabilities, to promote the product as one of class and sophistication and depict it as something anyone who was successful should definitely own. The advertisement manages to achieve all three and creates a strong desire in the mind of the viewer to know more, as the product is definitely one that can generate interest in the mind of the potential customer. The statement “It’s Good to be Bad” enhances the image of someone who does what he wants. The messaging therefore clearly shows that this is for a select audience.
Critique
The ad is very well designed and evokes a strong emotional connect with the audience, generating interest in the product. Due to the audience’s ability to connect with the main characters in the ad, the emotional identification with the brand is easily achieved. Created in the form similar to an action movie the ad piques the interest of the viewer and maintains their attention till the end. Very well executed, the ad manages to achieve its objective of defining the product’s British heritage as well as outlining its features and identifying the personality types who should be its ideal customers. A further series of ads developing the theme further would help enhance the imagery created by this first ad, wherein the messaging could move to the specific features, advantages and benefits of the product.
Conclusion
The Jaguar F Type ad is a tremendously good piece of advertising that achieves the major objectives that it is tasked with – building the British image of the brand and connecting with the potential target audience at which it is aimed. Using recognizable faces and a movie type setting drives interest of the viewer and makes sure that the advertisement is a memorable one.
References
Jaguar (2014a) British Villains rendezvous, available online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Bls1KKDwmo last accessed 26 November 2014.
Jaguar (2014b) The Making of British Villains, Available online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zO4H-IStMU last accessed 26 November 2014.
IMDb (2014) Tom Hooper, available at http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0393799/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm last accessed 26 November 2014.
Mashable (2014) Jaguar Embraces Villainy, Becomes Cool Cat of Auto Brands, available at http://mashable.com/2014/04/24/jaguar-marketing-strategy/ last accessed 26 November 2014.
Daily News (2014) Tom Hiddleston, Ben Kingsley and Mark Strong team up for villainous Super Bowl ad for Jaguar, available at http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/tom-hiddleston-stars-super-bowl-ad-jaguar-article-1.1595730 last accessed 26 November 2014.
New York Times (2014) Dastardly, British and Brand New to the Super Bowl, available online at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/14/business/media/dastardly-british-and-brand-new-to-the-super-bowl.html?_r=0 last accessed 26 November 2014.
Daily Mail (2014) 'It's good to be bad': British villains Sir Ben Kingsley, Mark Strong and Tom Hiddleston star in new James Bond style Jaguar Super Bowl commercial, available online at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2547630/Sir-Ben-Kingsley-Mark-Strong-Tom-Hiddleston-star-new-James-Bond-style-Jaguar-Super-Bowl-commercial.html#ixzz3KGN849iy last accessed 26 November 2014.
Business Insider (2014) Jaguar's Super Bowl Ad Explains Why All The Best Movie Villains Are British, available online at http://www.businessinsider.in/Jaguars-Super-Bowl-Ad-Explains-Why-All-The-Best-Movie-Villains-Are-British/articleshow/29510889.cms last accessed 26 November 2014.
Adweek (2014) Jaguar Taps Gawker Ad Division for Help in Creating 'Evil' Super Bowl Ad, available online at http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/jaguar-taps-gawker-ad-division-help-creating-evil-super-bowl-ad-154749 last accessed 26 November 2014.
Adage (2014) Behind the Super Bowl Ad: Jaguar Banks On British Villains To Steal The Show, available online at http://adage.com/article/behind-the-work/jaguar-banks-british-villains-steal-show/291340/ last accessed 26 November 2014.
