MINI Countryman re-enacts SUV stunt

Back in 2002 the creative team at Crispin Porter + Bogusky felt people were ready to move away from SUVs, so they pitched the idea to MINI and won the campaign to relaunch the iconic brand in the USA using a series of print promotions, outdoor events and marketing stunts.

One such stunt that made the launch so memorable was entitled “The SUV backlash officially starts now” and involved mounting a MINI on top of a Ford Excursion SUV which was then driven around 22 cities in the USA, parking alongside children’s rides outside shopping centres with a notice next to the coin slot saying, “Rides $16,850.”

[blockquote type=”blockquote_quotes” align=”center”]..with the launch of the all-new, four-wheel drive Countryman, MINI isn’t so mini anymore, so we simply couldn’t resist mounting a classic Mini on top of the Countryman, to show just how much we’ve grown.[/blockquote]

It therefore seems a touch ironic that in launching the new MINI Countryman in the USA, the agency Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners have chosen to re-enact the scene but this time mounting an original 1960’s Mini on top of the new Countryman. One of the truly admirable qualities about MINI’s marketing stance is their willingness to make fun of themselves and this campaign is sure to bring a smile to the many onlookers who see it.

The agency explains the idea behind the stunt as follows, “..with the launch of the all-new, four-wheel drive Countryman, MINI isn’t so mini anymore, so we simply couldn’t resist mounting a classic MINI on top of the Countryman, to show just how much we’ve grown.” The copy on the side of the Countryman reads: “Holds everything you need for a fun weekend.”

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