Most car adverts seem content to sell a lifestyle rather than a product. They’re not so much saying “buy this car” as “look how cool you’d look driving this car”.

Peugeot’s latest campaign, though, is a buck to this long-established trend. They are indeed saying “buy this car”, and they’re doing so through helpfully pointing out just how fun, exciting and joyful it is to buy a new car.

It’s called “Drive Away Happy”, and it’s a self-confessed reaction to a car market “awash with cut-price deals and overblown offers”. This campaign, though, is all about happiness. Peugeot want to make you happy.

And how? Well, have you heard of their “Just Add Fuel” scheme? It’s a way of streamlining the costs of running a car. It aggregates your insurance, servicing, warranty, road tax and assistance into one fixed monthly amount. All you need to worry about is fuel.

Both this and the Drive Away Happy campaign are being launched by way of a new 30 second TV advert.

It envisions a world made of paper and deploys stop-motion animation to demonstrate how a Peugeot avoids all the hassles associated with running a car.

A famous face in the form of Life on Mars/Dr. Who star John Simm is onboard to offer his priceless endorsement.

Says UK Marketing Director for Peugeot, Morgan Lecoupeur: “2012 is set to be a year of regeneration for the Peugeot brand with several exciting new product launches on the horizon including the world’s first diesel electric hybrid car and the hugely anticipated new 208.

“What better way to start than with an optimistic campaign that emphasises the positive emotions associated with driving a new car. In John Simm we have found a talented, credible and instantly recognisable personality and voice, and we look forward to working with him in 2012 as we move the Peugeot brand forward.”

With a January 23 premier, you may already have seen the advert by now. You may even already be sick of it.

During a recent performance of Papi at the 2011 American Music Awards (AMAs) in Los Angeles, Jennifer Lopez shared a stage with the new Fiat 500.

This proud synergy of music and motor was the culmination of a collaboration between J-Lo and Fiat which was announced earlier this year. The collaboration included a placement of the new Fiat 500C in her new music video – Papi – as well as in a 30 second trailer of the video. In addition, the singer also appears in two commercials for the Fiat entitled – for adverts do have titles – My World and Elegance. One features the Fiat 500C, the other a custom Fiat 500 by Gucci.

Cool.

I suppose it’s a mutually beneficial arrangement. Fiat get “street cred” through association with a luminary of modern toss whereas J-Lo, presumably, will finally be able to afford that gold-plated wainscot she’s wanted ever since she was Jenny from the block.

“The Fiat brand is honoured to share the stage with Jennifer Lopez at the 2011 American Music Awards. Her drive and determination is the common thread that is shared with the brand and our philosophy of Life is Best When Driven”, says Olivier Francois, CEO of the Fiat brand.

“This appearance allows us to continue to expose the Fiat 500 to a wide demographic. These past few days have been momentous for Fiat as we have recently revealed the new Abarth 500 at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show.”

More on that as and when.

You can watch J-Lo’s performance at the 2011 American Music Awards – as well as the special commercials – on Fiat’s US Facebook page.

Well, if you built a car which would go on to travel 2,884 miles across 11 states and three time zones whilst achieving an average economy figure of 62.9mpg, you’d want to tell people about it, wouldn’t you? And what’s the best way to tell such a story? Why, through the medium of film, surely!

Jaguar have made a short film about their XF 2.2 model which achieved precisely the above journey – attracting hundreds of comments and followers as it went – for the entire journey was covered by Senior Press Officer Faye Goldstraw. She provided live updates on the progress of the trip from the support vehicle following the XF.

The film is ultimately inspirational, as what you see is – quite literally – what you get. The XF  driven in the film is the entirely standard, UK-registered right-hand model – exactly the type you can buy yourself! Yes, you!

You too can drive that car which performed so faultlessly or – perhaps a little more possible at this juncture – you can watch the film in question by clicking here.

Enjoy!

There are few bonds in this world stronger than that of man and his machine.  In the sun or in the rain, they are they best of friends and nobody can come between them. This is the story of a Missouri man and his Chelsey Pearl, a couple who at one point had the time of their lives. Seen driving up and down the street, it was the story of pure romance, unadulterated by anyone else. But as with most love stories, tragedy strikes, and everything changed when his vehicle was ripped out of his life.

In 1995 Mr Edward Neeley from Jefferson City awoke to see his Chelsey gone. Not a sight for the faint hearted, he did not know what to do. Had she left him? Did someone take her? What was he to do? Calming down he contacted the police and let time take its course.

Days changed to weeks than years. He knew that he couldn’t wait any more and started to see a new car. While it may not have been what he wanted, he nonetheless made it work.

Browsing on the Internet, Mr Neeley looked up used muscle cars. Hoping to see something old, he accidentally stumbled upon a 1969 Chevy Camaro. It may not have looked the same but there was something about her that felt familiar. After doing some digging he was overjoyed find that it was his car, his Chelsey Pearl.

The police knew of the sad tale and instantly recognized “the old muscle car guy.” Looking into the cars past, investigators found that the VIN numbers had been switched. The car may have substituted hands many times before it got to the present owner. In many ways its present owner, Brent Dockery, was as great a victim as Mr Neeley since he not only bought the car for $16,000 but also put in an addition $10,000 in upgrades.

Determining that the rightful owner of the stole property was Neeley, Mr Neeley couldn’t hold in his excitement. Shipped to him from a very long ways away, the two were once more inseparable. Already seen speeding up and down his road, they were offered a conclusion to a harrowing tale. Let us hope they a long and happy life together, unhindered by any more tragedies.

Renault have one heck of a strong Facebook presence, and they also happen to be the proud sponsors of Rihanna’s imminent “Loud” tour (which is named after the garish nature of the ties sported by her backing band). Their latest promotion, then, almost makes too much sense.

This, the largest ever Facebook giveaway, gives you the chance of winning a Clio I-Music signed by Rihanna herself. The car alone’s worth over £11,000. The signature surely puts its value through the roof.

The Facebook page already has over 100,000 fans, but any new sign-ups will also be eligible to enter a weekly free prize draw for the supermini.

Such prizes, though, will seem rather mundane when compared to the world of glory made available should you go out of your way to test drive a new Renault before 19th September 2011.

The Va Va Voom promotion – which you might have seen on TV in a lavish advert starring Thierry Henry and Dita von Teese alongside our old friend Rihanna – puts you in with the chance of winning an all-expenses paid trip for two to Dublin to see Rihanna live in concert. In addition, you could win four pairs of Meet and Greet backstage tickets (you can actually meet Rihanna!) or 90 pairs of tickets – including VIP – to one of her nine UK concerts.

All you have to do is collect a scratchcard from yer nearest participating Renault dealership having taken a test-drive. You’re then to redeem the unique code online to see what you’ve won. Hurry, though! Only the first 2,000 people to redeem will be guaranteed a prize.

Good luck!

Well, this is interesting.

We, the authors, are responsible for taking press releases – which often drone on for pages about all manner of nonsense – and condensing them into 200-300 succinct words which inform, edify, enthral, whatever.

But now for something completely different. Here is, complete and unabridged, the press release for Eterniti Motors – “the new luxury car brand”.

“A new luxury car brand is coming.
A different kind of luxury car brand.
A luxury car brand from London.

Eterniti Motors.”

Yes, that’s it.

Would you like to know more? So would I.

There’s a link to a website which contains a short video which ominously proclaims that “a storm is coming” and that it “will hit you”. It closes with the words “power without limits” and “Hemera”.

Well, it’s intriguing to say the least. The sample image (above) looks like a cross between the Delorean and the Batmobile, and it’s unlikely that we’ll know anything more before the Frankfurt Motor Show (September 14th).

This, friends, is called viral marketing. And, whilst it doesn’t always work, when it works, ho, does it work.

The new, second-generation Kia Picanto is UNLEASHED in the UK today (Friday 17th June) with every intention of proving, once and for all, that small cars can offer “more of everything without ballooning in size and cost”. That’s right. The “dark ages” of people sneering at small cars? They’re over, friend. Gone. A relic of a different time.

You know, when first this news broke I was quite worried that it might completely bypass the good people of Britain. They might go about their happy little lives without knowing that we’re living in an exciting new ERA in which small cars are given the respect they deserve. An ERA in which small cars are FEARED.

Alleviating my fears, though, is the news that to tie in with the UK launch of the new Kia Picanto, those brave, brave dreamers have thrown together a major, multi-channel marketing campaign which will cover TV, cinema, national press, the web – the lot! The new Kia Picanto TV “small but mighty” advert is out there. Soon the people will know.

The thirty second clip will receive its first airing tonight during the series premier of Channel 4′s Come Dine With Me at 20:10. A prestigious slot, loads of people will be prithee to The Truth. Those who’d rather small cars stayed in their place must tonight be quaking in their boots, for tonight the streets are ours.

The advert will also be shown across a wide range of channels (over twenty!) on Sunday June 19th at 21:30, with advertising continuing until the end of June on multiple channels. This is interesting, actually. Who knew that advertising was such a nuanced business? I’m sure I’m not the only one who thought that they just threw any old rubbish together.

Cinema-goers will also be prithee to The Truth. The advert will be screened in over 3,500 cinemas – some 90% of all cinemas nationwide. Between Friday 17th and Thursday 8th September, the new advert will appear in such new film releases as Transformers 3, Bad Teacher and the almighty finale of the Harry Potter saga. This is set to be the biggest film of the year. The Truth will out.

So, what’s the new advert actually like?

I’ve no idea. Not seen it, myself. I think it involves a cat, though.

His name is Bond, James Bond, and he drives some of the sexiest and sleekest cars on the planet. From ejecting passenger seats to rocket launches, the sleek arsenal of deadly gadgets pack quite a punch. Engineered by MI6’s Q, they are incredibly versatile and come in many shapes, each better than the last. This is the top 5 list of the best, launching their way into your television and movie screens.

#5- Lotus Esprit

Starting off the list with the car that drive its way into our heart was the Lotus from The Spy Who Loved Me. Nicknamed the Wet Nellie it had one special advantage not previously seen in Q’s cars: it could go under water. Armed with Depth charges, missiles, as well as torpedoes, at a flick of a switch bond activates a car that can dominate any terrain.

#4- Aston Martin Vanquish

Bursting onto the scene in Die Another Day, it was a play on the old Aston that defined the series. Likewise, it pays homage on the inside to the original Aston with ejector seats and rockets. Were it differs however is its cloaking system that makes the car completely invisible as well as, if the environment calls for it, the spiked wheels that allow for greater mobility.

#3- Aston Martin V8 Vantage

Looking and sounding like thunder, rumbling across the road, Bond was well on his way to road domination with this ride. Armed with spiked tyres, missiles, and even the small addition of a laser, this car had it all. When caught in a jam this car even had the added advantage of a rocket engine to leave your enemy in the dust.

#2- BMW 750iL

Combining sport and luxury, in Tomorrow Never Dies we learned that the car not only have inflatable tires as well as the potentially of throwing spikes all over the floor, but it can also be controlled from a mobile phone from the drivers seat. Q specifically chose this vehicle, and indeed the German voice navigation system, to keep Bond safe and fighting on.

#1- Aston Martin DB5

The carmaker that defined the character, there is perhaps no better vehicle that defines Bond like the Aston Martin DB5. First seen driven by Sean Connery in Goldfinger, before this cars were only used for transportation. Now they are loaded with machine guns, bullet proof glace, ejector seats, and even small refrigerator for that bottle of Champaign. Stuns both gentlemen and ladies alike, it doesn’t get much better than this.