Creative Classic: Jaguar’s very British brush with Bond

Jaguar’s ‘It’s Good to Be Bad’ gets That’s Weird's creative director Herman Dias' nomination for a Creative Classic.

After all the controversy surrounding Jaguar’s infamous campaign last year, I feel 'It's Good to Be Bad' now counts as ‘overlooked’.

The ad was created by Spark44, the agency founded by Jaguar Land Rover, with creative leadership from Werner Krainz, Matt Page, and Martin Cox. The film was directed by Tom Hooper (later known for ‘The King’s Speech’), with music by Oscar-winning composer Alexandre Desplat.

The ad brought together three instantly recognisable British actors, Ben Kingsley, Mark Strong and Tom Hiddleston, and filmed them in London, essentially turning the idea of the British villain into a celebration of British style, sophistication and attitude.

What made it work so well for me was that it tapped into a familiar trope in British cinema, particularly in James Bond.

The villains were often just as stylish, if not more so, than the heroes. They had the impeccable suits, the confidence, the wit, the beautiful cars and an unmistakable sense of taste. Sometimes, they were even more interesting and likeable than the main characters.

In the ad, we see Kingsley, Strong and Hiddleston playing exaggerated versions of the quintessential British villain: slightly smug, completely self-assured and very comfortable with their status as the bad guys. They were all brought together as part of this wonderfully self-aware celebration of villainy.

The line “It’s Good to Be Bad.” is a great one, really capturing the appeal of the villain in five simple words.

There is always something slightly irresistible about being the bad guy.

The confidence, the attitude, the freedom and the sense that we do not really care about following the rules. It’s the same reason the idea of the “bad boy” has always had a certain appeal. We know they are probably trouble, but there is something more exciting about them.

For Jaguar, it was a perfect fit. Rather than simply telling us that the car was luxurious or desirable, it gave the brand a personality.

The Jaguar became the natural car for this stylish, slightly dangerous and unapologetically confident character.

I think that's what made this campaign so good. It found something that was already part of popular culture, connected it perfectly to the brand and turned it into something that was entertaining in its own right.

And perhaps that is the best kind of advertising. You start by watching an ad about a Jaguar, but by the end you are left thinking that maybe being the villain does not sound like such a bad idea after all.