The Power of Understatement

Yes, another car post. But don't get any ideas; I really could care less about cars… Except I'm a visual person, and being so I fall easily prey of the unusual looking, the pretty and the eye-stopper.

My school being where it is, I walk past beautiful cars everyday. But one especially caught my attention.

She's a pretty lady, all black, but the really interesting thing is the matte paintjob.
It was the first time I ever saw one and I have to confess I love it. It's incredibly eye-catching, the power of understatement among all those shiny cars…

Since the first starry-eyed day I did my homework. It appears this kind of paintjob is not as uncommon as I thought among very luxurious cars and is quite tricky to keep clean. I also saw much bigger cars with a similar matte paint, a Land Rover and a Mercedes: both did pull it off beautifully.
Visually the matte is interesting in the way it catches light. It could be said dull, but the contrast with other cars really works in its favor. As I said it’s a nice demonstration of the power of understatement and sobriety as ways to stand out and differentiate.
It’s also a brave choice in the sense that when downplaying, the risk is actually not being seen. But of course, the fact that this kind of paintjob is actually an expensive one only adds to the attraction.

Where is the car?

To open this blog, I will start with commercials.
Car commercials to be more precise, which are a very specific exercise. The product is more often than not very technical and cutting-edge, the purchase is a very serious one, and the advertisers won't throw the money away.
A car commercial without cars in it? Impossible, you say.
And yet!

Here is a selection of very clever ads from different brands, all having the peculiarity of being almost totally car-less.

First, Wolkswagen. The brand has a history of creative and edgy adverts and those two commercial stay true to the legend:


“The Great Pretender”
DDB, London (2007)
A.D: Shishir Patel, C.R: Sam Oliver
Director: Patrick Bergh (Partizan)


“Balloon”
Try, Oslo (2009)
A.D: Thorbjørn Ruud, C.R: Petter Bryde
Director: Thomas Hilland (Partizan)

Peugeot did it as well for the 206, with a highly awarded commercial.
The sound design is perfect as well as the enormous art direction work. I find the sequel for the 206 SW to be weaker (but apart from The Empire Strike Back, which sequel can claim to have been better than the first movie?)


“The Sculptor”
Euro RSCG MCM (2002)
A.D: Giovanni Porro, C.R: Roberto Greco
Director: Matthijs Van Heijningen (MJZ)


Euro RSCG MCM (2002)
A.D: Giovanni Porro, C.R: Roberto Greco
Director: Pedro Romhanyi (Outsider)

Toyota managed as well to come up with clever commercials for the Yaris, more targeted toward women. I couldn’t find the other two movies online, “Tag” and “Rope”, but they are well realised and true to the idea.


“Plane”
CLEMMOW HORNBY INGE (2007)
A.D & C.R: Wayne Robison/Matt Collier/Ewan Paterson
Director: Dominic Murphy (Partizan)

And last but not least, Seat recruited volatile tennis player John McEnroe to play himself in this nice little ad not without a touch of self-derision. True, there is a car in it, but it’s not the main character at all.


“It’s in!”
Grey, Barcelonna (2005)
A.D: Jason Bramley, C.R: Jonny Biggins
Director: Warren Kuchner (Partizan)



That’s all for today, but don’t hesitate to drop a line or a link if you have other examples in mind.