Design experts weigh in on Jaguar | Rudolf hits rock bottom | Awards aren't just for Christmas
Was the wave of criticism aimed at Jaguar this week a knee-jerk reaction, or was it entirely warranted? That’s the question our creative editor, Tom Banks , posed to branding experts as he sought to make sense of the intense online backlash.
By any measure, the campaign has been a comms car crash (insert pun apology here). What’s striking, however, is how swiftly judgment has fallen, even before the brand’s full vision was unveiled.
Meanwhile, The Drum hosted B2B World Fest 2024 on Wednesday, connecting leaders from major brands such as LinkedIn , Uber , and the Chicago Cubs. Spanning both Chicago and London, the event explored the evolving dynamics of B2B marketing, offering fresh insights into the strategies driving success in the space.
Beyond the festival, we’ve also got compelling interviews from Shelter , FCB New York and Leagas Delaney .
Tom Banks on creative
In the wake of the Jaguar story, two things sprang to mind. Firstly, deconstructing the design to see what we’re looking at; which is a challenge given the lack of context for the visual identity and campaign.
Secondly, it raises a lot of questions about public criticism and patience, given that we don’t yet have the full picture. It’s clearly been a comms disaster (unless brand awareness is your barometer) and it’s hard to defend the copy but some elements of the identity may have more life in them than we first thought.? I have my eye on the so-called ‘strikethrough’ symbol, which seems to be repeated on a teaser image of a possible concept car.
I also sought the thoughts of some design experts. Koto CEO and founder James Greenfield ’s main gripe wasn’t the design language but the fact he couldn’t see what Jaguar’s point of view was. This, he argues points to an issue present across the car industry – an obsession with electrification as a power source, but no brand perspective.
For something completely different,?take a look at The Royal Mint’s new Forever Metal campaign, a positioning piece designed to give consumers a totally new perspective on a 1100-year-old institution known for minting coins. It’s a story of reclaiming gold destined for landfill and precious elemental ‘waste’ being given new life by jewelry designers.
Amy Houston on advertising
When I shared Shelter’s annual donation drive ad on my LinkedIn, the response was overwhelming. Likes and comments flooded in as people - both from the advertising world and beyond - were captivated by the spot. It told the poignant story of a father doing everything in his power to shield his young daughter from the harsh realities of living in temporary accommodation.
So, when Rick Dodds from Don’t Panic, the agency behind the work, reached out to discuss how the ad came to life and what it takes to craft a high-stakes charity campaign on a tight budget, it was an easy yes.
One quote from Dodds stood out and I’ll leave this with you: “There can be a feeling with a charity ad that, because you’re not dealing with the same amount of production and media money, then maybe the pressure is less, but actually, if this ad doesn’t work, that’s 150,000 children this Christmas who we can’t help.” Read the full interview here.
On a lighter and sillier note, this spot from The Norwegian Postal Service made my week. If you’ve ever wondered (and I certainly have) what Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer gets up to in the off-season then give this a watch but beware, its not all presents and festive treats. Sadly, in this depiction, Rudolf has had a bit of a fall from grace. Uh oh!
And of course, you can keep up with this year's Christmas ads and get in touch with more at [email protected].
Richard Draycott on Agencies
Remember – a Drum Advertising, Design, PR, Social Media, Digital Experience, Content, Social Purpose, B2B, Agency Business (delete as appropriate) Award isn’t just for Christmas. During The Drum Awards Festival we gave hundreds of awards to agencies – so what are they gonna do with them – other than polish them daily and put them in pride of place in reception??
I got insights into how global agencies plan to use their awards success to their advantage in 2025?to get new business conversations started, to build bigger profiles and reputations, and to reward and attract talent.
And on the new business front,?FCB NY’s chief growth officer Kay Grib gave me her insights into how AI is helping her new biz team?get out of the starting blocks faster than Usain Bolt. It’s not just for the creatives y’know.?
And if you are thinking about your agency model and how AI, tech, data, client expectations, etc are going to impact that in the future, Leagas Delaney CEO Gareth Davis suggests it might be time to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Use a doll, not a real baby though.
Kendra Barnett on media
The Drum’s B2B World Fest 2024 – hosted jointly this week between Chicago and London on Wednesday –?brought together leaders across the B2B ecosystem, from big brands like LinkedIn, Uber for Business and the Chicago Cubs.
Some of my favorite moments of the day included a one-on-one with Dow Jones CMO Sherry Weiss about sales and marketing alignment, and a no-holds-barred audience Q&A with current and former brand leaders from Wood MacKenzie, Intel and Kraft. Keep an eye on The Drum TV for on-demand recordings of all the sessions from B2B World Fest 2024.?
In the coming days, I’ll be digging into the US Justice Department’s new proposal that Google divests Chrome, following an August ruling that determined the tech giant’s search business violates US competition law. Will the judge in the case mandate a breakup of Google? I’ll speak with experts to find out.?
In the meantime, send pitches and tips to [email protected] and subscribe to my weekly Media & Tech Briefing.
John McCarthy on opinion
We have a debate in The Drum today. Sid Lee’s Laura Randall has issued a response to a piece we ran last month. Iris’s Ian Millner?passionately argued for a return?to the office.?Randall did the opposite, claiming it would alienate parents and those who don’t find offices creative.
It’s not a black-and-white issue but it is interesting on one hand to note who’s requesting what and then down the line indexing that against client wins and awards because ultimately, these are the things that will dictate the future of advertising.
Where do you land and why? Whoever gets this right will win. Let me know on [email protected].
Further reading:
Cameron Clarke on B2B World Fest
On Wednesday, I came the closest I’m ever likely to get to feeling like Phil Collins at Live Aid by participating in an event in the US and UK simultaneously. Sadly, in my case, there was no dramatic dash to a waiting Heathrow Concorde such as there was to enable the Sussudio star to perform in Wembley and Philadelphia mere hours apart. But thanks to the power of modern broadcasting technology (yours for the price of a Concorde round trip in 1985) I was able to feel what I can only assume is the same rush by hosting a panel in London and Chicago simultaneously.
We promised this was going to be our biggest and most ambitious B2B World Fest to date and, with the help of our brilliant supporters (special thank you to headline partner BBN International), a stellar line-up of speakers and two fantastic audiences on both sides of the pond, we were able to deliver it. It might still be the adrenaline coursing through my veins from the cross-continent hosting but rarely have I felt as energized about where B2B is headed as I did at The Drum Labs this week.
Needless to say, we have big plans for our B2B coverage going into 2025 and if you have stories and ideas for us you should drop them into my inbox:?[email protected].
If you couldn’t be with us this time, we hope you will be next year. But until then, keep your eyes on?thedrum.com, where all of the great sessions from London and Chicago will soon be available on-demand.?
I might not be quite as jetlagged as Phil was, but it's time for this Drummer to have a lie down now.
Question of the Week
With all the conversation around Jaguar and Volvo this week, we’re eager to hear - what's your favorite car ad of all time? Letters on a postcard to?[email protected]
Would be great if they ciuld share their performance data on this campaign.
Thank you The Drum and Amy Houston for helping us tell the story behind this years Shelter Christmas campaign - you're always a true champion of the work! ??
Partner, Creative @ IKM – B2B Branding Without Boundaries
5 天前The criticism was warranted and came quickly because it flies in the face of the brand and even if they wanted a wholesale change, they’re about five years too late from a culture POV.
Founder of Lead Wolf Digital.
6 天前It was dreadful. High end electric saloons are on my radar, in my mid forties I’m perhaps still in the ‘younger demographic’ Jag say their aiming at- having admitted they think they’ll retain only 15% of previous buyers. This ad seems to have as its objective the deliberate alienation of anyone who had a vestigial fondness of the brand and its pedigree. It seems they actively don’t want white, heterosexual men who know what the Le Mans 24 hrs is to consider their cars. The Germans shan’t be losing any sleep over Jaguar.
Account/Project Manager and Script Consultant
6 天前I think the idea was ok/good but the execution wasn't great. The outfits were too Teletubby and the music didn't really match the movements. Even the models seemed a bit confused. That was a directing not a strategy issue, mostly.