Land Rovers “Siya Kolisi” campaign is a part of an interesting bread of modern marketing concepts. The advert was created by the creative agency Spark44 and directed by Dan Drage.
Memorability – 8 / 10
The clip is highly memorable for its stunning visuals and touching message. You don’t normally sell luxury items with notions of reaching out to the deprived, but here the connection between the brand and the concept of helping the less fortunate fits nicely. Land Rovers is well known for their effectiveness in rough terrain environments so the setting and relation to rugby are more than fitting.
Effectiveness 8 / 10
The advert features South African rugby player Siya Kolis. It will give most family unit viewers a warm heartfelt feeling and really does a fine job of highlighting the brands positioning as helpful, reliable, ethical and powerful. It means something to have power because it allows you to help those in need.
Style – 8 / 10
The ad is stunning. The visuals are top class and the car is presented beautifully. The 4×4 is shown pulling a huge container with relative ease which is a grand representation of the cars might and dependability. Africa is full of harsh terrain which fits in perfectly with the brand’s off-road angle. We don’t miss a more in-depth dialogue, more do we miss shots that offer more drama. The commercial retains its modest feel which goes a long way in ensuring it stays humble and comes across very genuine.
Heart or Humor – 8 / 10
The final scenes are full of heart and the main casting is perfectly suited to the concept. Children will always play a huge role in charitable causes and this clip plays on that notion to the right degree. It’s easy to remember this clip because it’s not what most might expect from such a luxury brand. The message of aiding those in need seems to be far more pungent when it is claimed by a brand whose core objective is to provide supremely comfortable cars to the wealthy.
Execution – 8 / 10
Far removed from the conventional way leading luxury car manufacturers tend to sell their models, this Land Rover commercial certainly gives us more to think about than a typical sports car advert. That said, the brand’s core values are certainly at the forefront of this piece. The car is the hero, the brand is doing “the right thing” and the lead character is perfectly in line with the brand’s target market, men and parents who favor strength, reliability and definitive character. Could a stat or fact regarding Land Rovers real-world contribution to this cause be placed within the ad to make it feel even more genuine? Yes, we certainly think so. Like the many luxury 4×4 campaigns that have come before it, the most impressive notions within this concept are those of resilience and proving yourself a warrior amongst others. One could argue that if such a cocktail of vital ingredients continues to work so well, why change it? Even if you decide to dress it up with a theme of “good deeds”, the fact remains, power, beauty, and superiority remain the hard-hitting selling points for such a product.
