automotive

Lincoln Compares Driver-Assist Tech To Billiards Shots

The Lincoln Motor Company is introducing the new Lincoln Nautilus luxury midsize SUV with a campaign from Hudson Rouge featuring actor Matthew McConaughey.

The creative illustrates the vehicle’s advanced driver assistive technologies by comparing its agility to trick billiards shots. 

In “Ultimate Control,” McConaughey takes a shot. The cue ball swerves smoothly behind the 8-ball, then makes a steady left before gliding back to its original path.

“I’ve never seen that before,” says a voice in the background. Fade to flashback — a Lincoln Nautilus effortlessly evading an obstacle in the roadway before seamlessly returning to its original path.

While trick shots and technology might seem like an unlikely combination, it works, says Eric Peterson, Lincoln communications marketing manager.

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The spots “continue to strengthen the authentic connection between Matthew and Lincoln,” Peterson tells Marketing Daily. “His connection with people has a very warm feel, so capturing that in these spots helps reinforce that same type of connection our brand has with customers. Authentic relationships between brands and great personalities like Matthew are hard to come by, which is why this connection works so well.”

Lincoln decided the pool metaphor could be expanded in social, and be entertaining and fun -- to watch a pool expert execute these shots linking to the brand’s driver assistance tech.

The digital campaign, “Control on Cue,” features renowned trick-shot pool artist Steve Markle demonstrating a variety of shots that illustrate braking, parking and cross-traffic alert technologies in the Lincoln Co-Pilot360, a driver-assist package that bundles features previously available only as separate options as standard equipment. 

The vehicle’s advanced technological capabilities are amazing, but not very easy to illustrate, says Jon Pearce, chief creative officer at Hudson Rouge.

“We were looking for a metaphor that was upscale and luxury-appropriate,” Pearce says in a release.

Like previous Lincoln creative featuring McConaughey, the spots are “conversational, informal, and very much show how this technology is in your service,” says Pearce. 

The spots are directed by Garth Davis, the Academy Award-winning director of “Lions.”

The McConaughey spot in both the 60-second and a 30-second version will debut on Lincoln’s Twitter and YouTube channels today, and will premiere on broadcast during the College Football Playoffs on Dec. 29. The billiards content will live on Lincoln’s social media channels beginning Jan. 1.

One of the campaign’s main objectives is to make people aware of Nautilus, a new name within the Lincoln line-up, Peterson says. “We also see Nautilus as a great opportunity to bring new clients into the Lincoln family based on the overall refinement of the interior and exterior, coupled with its impressive suite of technologies.”

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