Rarely do we see prose that represents a true shift in tone or character.
More often than not, brands stick to the safety of conversational and genuine. Some push the boat out a little but, add a touch of youthful flair or a dose of contemporary irreverence. Even then, it feels like we’ve seen it all before.
Until you stumble upon Mansory.
For the uninitiated, Mansory is a luxury car modification firm based in Germany and big in Dubai. Basically, they take luxury cars from makers like Mercedes Benz, Bentley, Maserati and Ferrari and make these million-dollar vehicles look objectively horrible.
But we’re not here to throw shade at their work – we’re here to celebrate how distinct their copywriting is. Because just like their car modifications, it’s a sight to behold. Here’s a live example, ripped straight from their website, talking about one of their products. Enjoy.
“The “MANSORY MCX PERGUSA” immediately catches the viewer’s eye as an uncompromising, high-performance sports car primarily committed to maximum performance due to its design and in particular its full carbon body. That’s how it should be and there is no reason to hide this in any way.”
That last line deserves repeating: “That’s how it should be and there is no reason to hide this in any way”.
It’s beautiful. The confidence. The directness. The weird syntax and grammar. Even the way it just drones on in the first sentence (31 words, for those wondering). There’s an Ikea flavour to all of it, but it’s comfortable going full-on arrogant too. Like if Ikea and the whole UFC industry had a baby.
Props to them to be honest, it’s definitely unique. And it’s all over their website.
Reddit, of course, has noticed. For an obscure, niche car brand, the fact that online threads are commenting on the quality of the copy has to say something in itself, right? Here are some faves:
“Reading their page feels like chewing a mouthful of hair…”
“It reads almost like a Nigerian prince scam.”
“Rich with florid language, rife with clumsy errors.”
“I think that’s where their name comes into play ‘Man-Sory’ for all the grammatical/translation errors.”
Now, it’s worth stressing, that this isn’t a hit piece. It’s a love letter.
There’s no doubt a brand like Mansory could afford top-tier English translators. The fact that they stick with this oddly magnetic, offbeat and awkward prose, I think, is a calculated and genius decision.
Their copy, like the car modifications they create, is a representation of a new era of high-end luxury expression. Where the rule book is thrown out, conventions are quashed, and oddity wins the war of attention.
They’re playing the game to a tee. And it looks like Jaguar is taking notes.
Yes, let’s open up the fresh wound of their rebrand from late last year. You know the one, where they swapped out the class and sophistication of their heritage green for colours, characters, and a car-less ad.
It sure kicked up some controversy. But that was entirely the point. Hello relevance.
And once their social team played their part in bringing this new vibe to their copy, Jaguar firmly placed itself into this new era of bold-luxury-cool, where nothing really matters and all the lines are blurred.
Here are some of their social team’s responses to the criticism online. Can we get a chef’s kiss?
“Patience, the art’s in the reveal.”
“Soon you’ll see things our way.”
“Go hard”
“Quite the opposite. This is a renaissance.”
Luxury and high art often play in this space, there’s no doubt. They trade in ideas that subvert the norm to stand out, create intrigue, or spark commentary. Anyone fancy a banana for $6.2 million?
But what’s driving all this rejection of basic principles at a brand level?
One could draw parallels between this cultural brand moment and Trump’s recent victory in the US presidential elections.
There’s no denying it, the way Trump communicates is different. Just like Mansory, it’s a complete departure from what other politicians – or brands – sound like. Sure, he can string a sentence together. But it’s a strange sentence. Less structured and polished, with a different cadence and order of messages. And yet he’s an objectively effective communicator. What he says cuts through.
We know that brand expression often mirrors cultural trends or moments. Has his victory paved the way for a new era of brand tone of voice? Where these standard principles and conventions of speaking and writing are being rewritten?
Maybe. Only time will tell.
But one thing is for sure, the rules of the game seem to be changing. And that sometimes, in the battle for distinctiveness, bad character wins out.
That’s how it should be and there is no reason to hide this in any way.
The post How Mansory’s bold copywriting redefines luxury branding appeared first on Inside Retail Australia.
