Greatest Automotive Related Commercials Of All Time
In today's day and age we are truly inundated with advertisements. They are everywhere you look and from ad blockers to our own ability to just tune them out, most ads are completely forgettable. There are a few however, that have captured our attention. They pull us away from our phones and cause us to stop a moment and connect and feel with what we're seeing. Here are a few of the greatest automotive related advertisements of all time.
The first ad in our list is not specifically for an automotive brand, but rather Johnny Walker Blue Label. "Gentleman's Wager II" reunites Oscar-nominated actors Jude Law and Giancarlo Giannini, along with acclaimed Chinese actress Zhao Wei, in the story of a man who proves a little gratitude goes a long way.
Globally premiered at an event hosted at a stunning villa just outside of Rome, where the film was shot. The spot follows the story of two men who enter a wager over a priceless vintage car: the Delahaye 135S classic racing car that serves as a “trophy” for the wager but is also a Walker heirloom that has been in the family since the 1930’s. The soundtrack by Plastic Bertrand’s “Ca Plane Pour Moi" perfectly accompanies the film, securing the brand’s global and contagious “Joy Will Take You Further” messaging. Sprinkle in some well placed Formula 1 Driver cameos and you have a fun and exciting short film.
The second advertisement in our list was originally produced for the 50th Anniversary of McLaren Automotive and sheds light on McLaren’s very human back-story. Namely that of Bruce McLaren, who founded his racing team nearly six decades ago now. The short film forms part one of the 50th anniversary trilogy following the ghost of Bruce McLaren as he retraces the scene of his crash at the Goodwood circuit in 1970. The crash tragically took his life at the young age of 32. Shot in director Marcus Söderlund’s trademark, dreamlike state, it is accompanied by a spine-tingling Bruce McLaren monologue, ending poignantly with the words: “…What might be seen as a tragic end was in fact a beginning. As I always said, to do something well is so worthwhile that to die trying to do it better cannot be foolhardy. Indeed, life is not measured in years alone but in achievement...” So turn off the lights, turn up the volume, and enjoy one of the greatest automotive adverts of all time.
The final entry into our list is less of a singular advertisement but rather a collection all circling around the same vehicle. Audi has always been at the forefront of automotive advertising and nothing shows that better than what they produce for their flagship super car, the R8. Here are three of the best Audi R8 adverts.
The first spot opens on a fictional retired astronaut sitting solemnly, while surrounded by memorabilia from the golden age of space exploration. When his son hands over the keys to an Audi R8 V10 Plus, he gets behind the wheel and relives the thrill of a Saturn V-rocket-like ride under the stars.
"The legacy of the first moon landing lives on at Audi. The same spirit of discovery drives us to dream, innovate and explore, from creating a car that goes 205 mph to building a lunar rover," Audi proclaimed on their website. "It's why we're constantly pushing the boundaries of what's possible."
The second R8 commercial worthy of our list speaks to the rawness of the R8. An incredibly simplistic advertisement, the spot simply shows an R8 doing a wide open throttle pull on a dyno. Enjoy the aural pleasure that is an R8 at full chat.
The final Audi R8 spot to make our list combines a classic film scene from The Godfather and takes a cheeky shot at all of it's luxury market competitors. Take a look.
That's it! That's the list! Did we miss something? What is your favorite automotive related advertisement of all time? Drop us a comment and let us know!