London – Nimic, a 12-minute film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, features no cars.
Created in collaboration with Droga5 London, the short film follows the story of a man who crosses paths with a woman on a subway. Unlike a typical campaign film, the full version is unavailable for viewers to watch online as it is being shown on this year’s film festival circuit.
According to David Kolbusz, chief creative officer at Droga5 London, the film sits outside the realm of what the industry would typically think of as branded content and made more sense for Mini than a traditional ad, despite the reach limitations. ‘Mini’s reason for investing in this work is to demonstrate a commitment to creativity and lateral thinking, therefore a campaign wouldn’t make sense,’ Kolbusz told Adweek.
Branded content is in flux, as more brands seek to express their creativity with campaigns that go beyond the traditional realm of product placement.