Look, I get it. Car adverts are supposed to be a little bit ridiculous. They're supposed to sell a ludicrously luxurious, adventurous lifestyle, to ooze money from the screen in a series of slow-motion action shots of vehicles cruising across beautiful landscapes or cities. But this. This is too much.
Lamborghini has just dropped the launch video for its new rally-inspired sports car, the catchily titled Huracán Sterrato. And it's everything you might expect from a car advert – until you turn the sound on. Copywriters, you might want to look away now. (Looking for advertising inspiration? Check out the best print ads of all time.)
You see, the problem here is the script. The classic gravelly car voiceover is present and correct, but it's talking absolute waffle. As in, more waffle than usual – and, for some reason, it's presented in some kind of half-rhyming pseudo-poem format. And it makes absolutely no sense. A sample, for your reading displeasure: "Let adrenaline and fun collide / Spraying grains of dust aside / It’s no filth / This is design / Any amount of grime is fine / The more you get dirty / The more you’ll shine / Dust is gold / Dirt’s for the bold"
Yep, it seems the trend of spoken word in advertising, which arguably kicked off with those Nationwide Building Society ads (which included this absolutely brilliant example) a few years back, has finally reached its nadir.
How to undo what i saw. Worst ad ever #Lamborghini https://t.co/Yh6EZDYLoDDecember 2, 2022
When I was 10 I wanted a Lamborghini so it's inspiring to see something written by a 10-year-old make it out there into the world... https://t.co/vRKY5rlXtADecember 2, 2022
Indeed, it's been an interesting few weeks in the world of car branding. Just last week it was revealed that the new Kia logo has led to some unfortunate Google searches, while Audi's minor rebrand is giving drivers road rage. Oh, and the less said about Volkswagen Italy's Instagram page, the better.
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