Risky business: Is BMW’s first ever music video going to change the way cars are advertised?

Risky business: Is BMW’s first ever music video going to change the way cars are advertised?

The top comment on BMW’s YouTube link is negative. So how will the famous German car brand turn its music experiment into a brand coup, asks Precious de Leon.

July 13, 2011 3:32 by Precious de Leon

This isn’t the first time that BMW has dabbled outside of the realm of conventional auto branding and marketing strategies. It has always associated itself with different forms for artistic expression.

This time, it is trying its hand at music. The BMW Group (and its brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce) have released its first music video.

Now, Kipp’s all for finding new ways to get the audience to experience the brand. But we’re not so clear on how this attempt will further the brand communication. So far, its had more than 6,662 reviews (as of July 13) and the top comment is “the car is so ugly it burns my eyes !“ (with 15 thumbs ups at time of writing). It was loaded on July 6.

“check my machine” is a film project which has been created in a close collaboration between the BMW Group’s Electronic Media Department and creative Munich artists Jonas Imbery (Gomma Records) and Mirko Borsche (Bureau mirko borsche). The Brainstormclub and Eyetrip are responsible for production.

BMW Group also hopes that the soundtrack, composed by Jonas Imbery, could also be played in the world’s most popular clubs.

“The appeal of the work was to develop a viable, independent, recognisable composition that only makes use of vehicle sounds, such as the blinkers, GPS voice, closing noises, seat belts, doors, safety alarm, to name but a few. The visual resolution at the end shows clearly that the percussive elements such as the bass synthesizer, the vocals and the melodies were produced by the vehicle itself,” says Bill McAndrews, Head of Communication Strategy, Corporate Communications, at the BMW Group.

Judge the video for yourself and tell us what you think.