Ferrari says 'thank you' to its 10 million Facebook fans with a Tooned-like animation (w/VIDEO)

To celebrate Ferrari’s 10 millionth Facebook fan, the brand has chosen to follow McLaren’s lead with an animated cartoon featuring Chairman and President Luca Montezemolo together with drivers Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso.

For a company which is driven so strongly by its brand, one wonders just how much thought went into the 50-second piece. Where McLaren works with top digital agency Framestore in producing its popular animated series, Tooned, Ferrari’s one-off spot feels immediately dated with its low-res graphics and 1930’s Charleston-style music.

The video is entitled “10 Million Fans are not a breeze”, and begins with Montezemolo ensconced in his office and typing away on his lap top. Suddenly the wind picks up, his desk items are blown away and in floats Felipe Massa, followed shortly after by Fernando Alonso. Finally a Ferrari 458 Italia blows in smacking Luca in the face before both exiting stage left.

Cue the image of (presumably) 10 million electric fans all blowing together, which we’re left to assume caused all the damage(?) and were responsible for the attempt on Luca’s life. Luca then pops up from the bottom of the screen, sporting signs of his near-fatal head-injury together with a ‘Thank you all, keep following us’ sign.

Given Ferrari’s notoriously cryptic sense of humour, we could end up reading a long list of meanings into the animation; from the silent movie format (we don’t like our drivers talking openly to the press); the fact the Felipe blows in first (lightweight); the metaphorical representation of social media followers as electrical appliances noisily recirculating Ferrari’s stuff; and last but not least the 1930s music telling us that some of the company’s values are way out-of-date.

Or am I reading too much into it..?

Note: for music buffs, you might like to know that the track is called ‘Far Off Corner in My Mind’ by the Royalty Free Music Crew, available on the Loops 2 Loops label.