The Super Bowl might not kick off until Sunday, but MINI has released its ad almost a week early.

The spot, called "Defy Labels," features tennis player Serena Williams, former soccer player Abby Wambach, rapper T-Pain, former baseball player Randy Johnson, skater Tony Hawk, and actor Harvey Keitel.


The 30-second video features each celebrity standing in front of a MINI and giving it a label that does not fit the car. Williams says ironically: "This is a chic car," for example. Wambach adds: "This is a gay car."


It will air in the third quarter of the big game.


“Ever since the first Mini was built in 1959, it has been labeled as one thing or another. It’s small. It’s cute,” Tom Noble, head of communications at MINI said. “This campaign acknowledges those labels in a very authentic way while simultaneously showing people MINI is more than that. With the launch of the new Clubman, our brand is growing up, our products are more sophisticated, and its time to reset the conversation.”


If the 30-second ad has not left you satisfied, you can check out long-form interviews with each member of the star-studded cast talking about how they have defied labels in their own life.




https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRa..._-jE5rkqiO3jTw

 

I really enjoyed watching MINI defending its community from the labels that are frequently laid upon it. I've owned my R53 for a little over a month and already heard how much of a "gay", "cute", "slow" car it is from co-workers (I work at a Cadillac/Buick/GMC dealership). It's a good thing I don't give a flying F about what people think and these ads reinforce that. +1 to MINI

 

Hell. yes. This was fantastic!!!

 

The wheel gap on the new Clubman is HUGE.

 

+1

I enjoyed seeing this commercial defy the labels as well.

 

Not many understand Mini. Especially here in the US, unless you get exposed and are lucky enough to catch the bug. Table the labels. Good ad.

 

This ad would have made way more sense in 2006. In the time of the 1st gens, a lot of the "labels" the ad highlights were stuff that I heard a lot with our R50. That is accurate. But in context of the current lineup of MINI's, almost none of those labels apply. "This is a small car." "This is a short man's car." So they made them bigger. "This is a cute car." So they made them far less cute. "This is a slow car." So they made them faster.

To the people who were around at the time of the 1st gens, this ad is essentially highlighting how MINI has conformed to the rest of the car industry and become a much less unique brand than it was in the early 2000's. It makes a point of presenting all the new MINIs they've added to show how much bigger, aggressive, fast, and less "chick" they've made their cars. So none of those labels apply anymore. They have made MINIs a lot more universally accessible by responding to these labels, not defying them. "This car doesn't care what you call it." No, but the company who makes them does.

I'm not saying people shouldn't like the 2007+ MINIs, there is just a pointed difference in the objectives of the company because of their response to these labels. Once a sporty compact coupe, now a kid-hauling 4-door with room for a month's worth of groceries. And that's a great thing! But that's not what a MINI was meant to do. They used to be special and now they are simply another car manufacturer who very much cares about what you call their products.

 

Agree , most people ( general public ) don't get it. As a owner, some people think , cheap ( because of size ?, maybe not so much on the newer ones ) , economical , and slow. Owner since 2004 so I have heard it all.

Sevin, Agree the change happened in about 2007+ when the brand went more mainstream and try to appeal to more people to build the brand.

What would be nice to see is just a F56 JCW ripping it up on a track for 30 seconds .. then just a MINI logo at the end. But nice to see some celebrity owners. I knew most of them owned MINIs in the past. Remember T Pain sidewalk convertible. And Randy Johnson one.

Good thread here :

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...i-drivers.html

 

My martial arts instructor refers to my Mini as a matchbox car, so I can totally relate to this ad. Over the years, it has also been called, "cute" numerous times, but I don't drive it because of labels, or whatever else people call it.

I drive it because I just freaking love driving this thing. Later this year will mark ten years since I took ownership, so you can see how much I care about labels.

 

I LOVE my 2011 MCS! Labels? Sure, the guys at work (who all drive F150-F350 trucks) gave me some grief when I brought it to work....and that continued for a while. They said it was a girly car, and insinuated that I was gay for owning it. Well, now that I have done more than a few mods, and most of them have seen how quick and well-handling it really is, they are all about wanting to know what my latest mods were, and what is in the planning stages. Not that I have "won them over", but they get why I bought it (for my FUN twisty mountain commute to and from work, and MPG). I still bring one of my trucks to work now and then, and my restored 67 Chevelle Sport Coupe shows up from time-to-time. I always have the last laugh, as I have a much better selection of rides than any of them do! I think there may be some jealousy at times....LOL! Motoring On!