SCOTT27

Ohayo gozaimasu or Good morning...

It's just after 7am in Tokyo just about to head for breakfast and then into the conference room where we plan our strategy for the MINI Clubman shoot in downtown Tokyo. We also have an night shoot tonight as we aim to capture the energy and vitality of the new addition to the MINI brand - The MINI Clubman.

I actually had a drive last night and for an extended MINI it is incredibly agile - The rear door and side door are works of art in quality , ease of use and the rear has surprisingly good legroom compared to the regular MINI (and with optional sliding- Roof) It is also very panoramic and rear passengers are less likely to have a panic attack than in the MINI hatch. - Would be MINI owners are going to make a bee-line for this car - It's the MINI made for non MINI owners.

Why Japan? Besides the fantastic food and nightlife and interesting culture - Tokyo fits in with the metropolitian approach and the designation lifestyle of the MINI brand. I have loved Tokyo ever since I saw "Akira"
The Clubman is extending the ideals of MINI as a lifestyle rather than just a product. We made that decision with the first MINI to approach MINI as a lifestyle rather than just a car which turned out to be very successful indeed.

MINI is and will always be a "young Brand" even though it is a product Which appeals to all ages. The Clubman shoot is all about the energy MINI is all about.
The campaign will be very visual with an urban feel with a thumping soundtrack and what better City to showcase this in than the neon fairground of Tokyo.

Sayonara .

EMpower

Thanks. On for Tokyo drift in a MINI.

SCOTT27

MINI Clubman has now hit New York City - Manhattan and Greenwich Village , And then Wall St. - see you tonight?

Just put you in the mood of how Kinnetic, visual and energetic approach to the MINI Clubman : Some recommended tracks influenced by the MINI Clubman. Download them if you can find them.



1. Tommas Anderson - Love Commando
2. Revolution Void - Factum Par Fictio
3. Tweak - Individualizer
4. Leandro Fresco - Cero Uno
5. The Field - Action.
6. Private Taste - First.
7. Art Of Trance - Breathe
8. Jean Michel-Jarre - Teo & Tea (Benny Benassi Remix)
9. Studio L - Credo.
10. Slow - Suite # 431

EMpower

Should have told earlier. I am close to that area. I missed.

SCOTT27

We are here for ten days - we shot off times square last night at 2am.

SCOTT27

MINI takes Manhattan.

We did not come thousands of miles without sampling some donuts . although the Krispy Kremes were delicious. We preffered the donuts of the Clubman S variety.

As the US journey has drawn to a close and we have survived uscathed and without breaking the law (our antics were under supervision on a sealed off Brooklyn street).

The campaign aims for the Clubman as the next big thing to happen to the MINI brand More like an extension of the fun factor that distinguishes MINI.
Seen as Tentative to the MINI brand is the extension of typical MINI characteristics of the MINI brand - Wheels @ each corner , agility and response with poise and balance , Emphasis on the fun factor and that awe and excitement you experience in a MINI - a bit like watching that Transformers trailer where you are actually excited so much you wet yourself!

The Campaign captures the MINI brand philosophy. Motion , Image and purpose Although there are concerns that MINI Clubman will dilute the image of the brand these are comments deemed unnecessary.

True the Clubman will feature unique features such as (plug!) unique rear passenger entry , twin rear barn doors and raised roof - MINI Clubman is seen as the Lifestyle MINI not the family MINI - Put your surfboards , snowboards etc It's a more individual choice rather than a choosing a wagon or a compact SUV.

But we also want to retain it is still a MINI and is therefore devout of any hindrance an extended wheelbase might impose but still has the wooohooo factor .

In Part 2 - "Get ze **** away from ze ****** MINI"
Next stop Vancouver.

EMpower

Have been looking around but I guess you work at odd hours to avoid us.

SCOTT27

Yes we done our PM shooting about 3am , Times Square was less busy then even though we blocked our Clubman's in with SUV's so amateur photographers could only see head on and say It's just a MINI""
Even though the MI NI licence plates gave another clue. We even shot off Wall St and GreenWhich village and in the Port areas and Brooklyn. - The Campaign for the Clubman is very Kinetic with some MINI humour.

Munich_Motor_Mouth

I'm not sure how different the final product will be from the concept version that was shown in 2005 at the Frankfurt Show amidst great fanfare, but at this point I'm still not convinced this will be another big hit. I think the critical criterion for future cult status is whether the Clubman can fulfill a similar functionality that the VW bus used to have, namely provide comfortable overnight sleeping space (with the rear seats folded down) for two people on a cross-country camping trip, with sufficient additional space left over to store the stuff these two people would bring along. If this is the case, a key customer segment in the US that could adopt and help popularize the Clubman would be the Deadhead Crowd (i.e. followers of the cult rock band, The Grateful Dead), based in bigger cities and college towns, yet loving to be out in nature, particularly in the rugged mountains west of the Mississippi River. However, if the Clubman is to be positioned strictly as an urban car (perhaps because it's not really long or big enough to meet the aforementioned overnight sleeper criterion), then it certainly would have to provide the functionality of a small van, possibly also in a utilitarian version with no rear side windows, to be used for small businesses, such as carpenters, plumbers, repairmen, delivery folks, etc. In any case, practical functionality is a sine qua non for success of the Clubman, or else the customer will just go with the standard MINI.