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Client: MINI
Creative Agency: Profero
Media Agency: Zed

Profero's first online campaign for MINI takes users on a MINI adventure to unexpected websites. Breaking conventions, the white MINI does not take users to the MINI site; instead the ad takes you through different portholes, making the user land on niche non-commercial sites, which they can either browse or follow the MINI into another porthole. The clever concept aims to target cultural influencers and trendsetters, and takes them to destinations on the internet they would not have found for themselves.

Entitled, "The White Rabbit," the campaign runs as a teaser campaign, to let people know that a new MINI is on its way to them.

This is a novel and excellent concept, taking clickers on this MINI ad to obscure websites that have nothing to do with the automaker or its dealership network. Mojo, I was familiar with, but the Handlebar Club, Hencam and Street Mattress, to say nothing of Settleforbrian.com -- a site by Brian, a regular guy looking for a woman with whom he can spend his life (ladies, he doesn't want kids, and he is not the least bit handy around the house; he drinks, and actually got rejected by eharmony.com a few years back. Seriously) -- were new to me.

The car coming out of the ad, spinning at each site it lands on, covering content and taunting you as it sits there revving, is a great tease that makes you want to follow it to the next bizarre site-- hopefully even more obscure than the last. And teasing is the object here, with barely a glimpse of the new MINI available while a Post-it note is stuck in your brain that reads, "new MINI coming soon."

I have to wonder how Profero and MINI decided on the websites they'd take the "white rabbit" to, and lucky Brian may actually find someone with low expectations now. 
-- Dave Wilkie, VP, creative, Kinetic Results and author of advertising blog Where's My Jetpack?

I love seeing work that is fun, simple and works to a higher brand order; Profero nailed this one. Both the big and little things are done right on this campaign (or is it just a single ad?) for MINI.

First the big things: The concept behind this MINI work is spot on. It's not merely borrowed interest but great communications structure in idea and execution-- as seen in the final piece on Streetmattress.com, which becomes a product rally cry with the headline, "New adventures are out there," at the end of your web tunnel.

The little things are done right too, starting with the placement on Mojo-- right audience, good design, nice run towards and spin into page, solid sound/motion design and clean copy. These things, along with the text ("This is not the way to the MINI site") all invite you to follow the white MINI down the hole. I might question the choice of sites, as they feel uneven, but they are secondary to the goal of giving people a taste of MINI fun and adventure.

This concept feels like a much bigger idea in positioning MINI as the porthole to adventure, so I would love to see playful legs on the idea and campaign offshoots. This is an online idea that has the basis for many campaign branches.
-- Glen Sheehan, creative director, T3