Fighting Dapper with Dapper

This isn’t brand new, but I love it and think about it all the time.

In 2010, Mercedes started launching TV spots featuring shots of their cars swerving and roaming as sexy as ever– but what mattered was the voice-over.  John Hamm, better known as Don Draper on AMC’s Mad Men, represents the ultimate in sophistication, mystery, and talent.  Excellent choice, Mercedes. The definition of class, a perfect complement for your brand.  I could imagine Don slip into a Mercedes as slick as his suit.  Especially if you’re in Mercedes’ demographic, there is little else more enticing than the notion of Draper’s approval.

But what do you do when you’re a competing luxury car manufacturer?  How do you beat Don Draper?  Lincoln viz-a-viz Team Detroit had an answer– you bring in Roger Sterling.  And you don’t just have actor John Slattery talk about it.  You get Roger behind the wheel and he’s going to take you for a ride.  How does that feel?  It feels like Roger’s taken a liking to you, and takes you out on one of his post-meeting “lunches” and is showing off his new car with cutting edge technology and everything.  What makes it work is that this presentation (luxury car, great clothes, cool music) is congruent with the Roger Sterling character, though updated.  But this time we’re not mere observers of Roger, Don, and the Mad Men melodrama– Roger is talking to the viewer; a thrilling invitation of sorts.

Lincoln’s radio spot continues to leverage the Mad Men theme while a modernized version of a generic Elvis riff is layered under the actor’s voice.  As a huge Mad Men fan, I can’t help but get excited.  But regardless, I find this a great response to a competitor’s campaign, though it could totally stand alone.  It’s amazing when a fictional program commands such influence, and it’s inspiring to see two brands work with it without losing the thing that matters most here: class.

– Carrie Knific