Diddy Joins Fiat Fold to the Tune of Pharrell’s ‘Happy’

Doner created a new global campaign called “Mirage” for FIAT, in promotion of their new Fiat 500L, the first four door vehicle from the automaker (which we guess is now officially Fiat Chrysler Automobiles). “Mirage” enlists the help of Diddy and Pharrell‘s hit “Happy,” which you may recall as the song from the world’s first 24-hour music video, and the soundtrack to Despicable Me 2.

“Mirage” is (as you might have guessed) set in the desert. Two lost travelers searching for rescue see Diddy drive by in a Fiat, but dismiss the sighting as a mirage. When they then stumble on Diddy‘s REVOLT soiree, they again dismiss the vision as a mirage, with one of the travelers pointing to the new Fiat 500L and saying, “The Fiat over there has four doors. Fiat only makes small cars, it’s not real.” The line draws attention to the misconception that Fiat only builds small cars as a way of introducing the new Fiat 500L, further cemented by the tagline, “Unbelievably Big” (which is sure to elicit snickers and/or “That’s what she said” jokes from certain corners of the ad community). In the spot, Diddy once again proves himself a much more talented comedic actor than rapper (for further evidence, see Made or Get Him to the Greek), delivering the spot’s punchline (which I won’t reveal here) with great timing.

Doner’s global campaign will roll out this Thursday, with the TV spot running both nationally and internationally, and will also include online components. Stick around for credits after the jump. continued…

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Doner, Miguel Cabrera Take the Road Well-Traveled (to Greatness) for Chrysler

If there’s one thing that Detroit has going for it right now, it’s the Tigers. And if there’s one thing the Tigers always have going for them, it’s the super-dependable Miguel Cabrera, arguably the best hitter in baseball. So, if you’re a Detroit car company, just slap Miguel Cabrera in an ad and you’ve got a winner, right?

Doner (which will inevitably be mocked as “boner” in the comments section) has tapped Cabrera’s talents for their latest spot for Chrysler. Alternating between shots of Cabrera, aspiring young baseball players training, and the Chrysler Town & Country while talking about how there’s “one road to greatness” and there are “no shortcuts” whether “you’re trying to become the world’s greatest player or build the world’s greatest car” the spot pretty much sticks to a well-trodden formula. Ending with the irritatingly nonsensical “Imported From Detroit” tagline, and the better thought out #NoShortcuts hashtag, the spot certainly feels familiar.

There’s really nothing new about Doner’s approach, but as a baseball fan, the spot works for me. The background music sounds like it was taken from a “serious sports spot” stockpile somewhere and the “work hard to achieve greatness” message is certainly nothing new for Chrysler. But Miguel Cabrera isn’t just a great baseball player, he’s a seriously likable one, no matter what team you root for, with a truly photogenic swing. So despite the tired tropes of the spot, I can’t find it irritating (except for that tagline). The hometown appeal is obvious, but having people associate your product with Cabrera is a good thing, no matter where they’re from. But please Doner, work on a new tagline. Credits after the jump.

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