“Motorbikin’, motorbikin’, motorbikin’, motorcycling, movin’ on the Queen’s highway lookin’ like a streak of lightnin.” This week, we are channelling Staveley-born axeman Chris Spedding, the man whose musical influence stretches from the Sex Pistols to the Wombles.
Of course, his star has waned now, although his 1975 opus to the British biker lives on, on YouTube.
And, sadly, that is where it is staying, for this new campaign designed to showcase a brief history of the Royal Enfield heritage in the UK and the love for the Indian motorcycle brand.
Devised by New Commercial Arts and directed by Adriaan Louw, the spot aims to celebrate the enduring community spirit that apparently Royal Enfield is known for, while welcoming a new generation of riders to the fold to swoon over its Hunter 350 model.
Set to Richard Hawley’sTonight the Streets Are Ours, “A Shot of Motorcycling” will run across all media, including TV in local markets, social, digital and OOH. The film follows a community of motorcyclists as they embark on a day trip around London.
Over to the official blurb then: “Blending 16mm analogue film with digital elements, Adriaan captures raw, authentic moments between the riders – as well as reactions from passers-by. Such an aesthetic embodies the timeless spirit that Royal Enfield has always stood for, combining a documentary style with smooth, dynamic scene transitions.
“The narrative spotlights the brand’s unified, diverse community as we watch the group ride along empty streets, pick up food in Brick Lane, and meet up with other friends. The film culminates with a group photoshoot alongside their motorcycles, as the camera pans away as if on the back of a departing rider.”
Of course, you are perfectly entitled to form your own opinion, but we’re not too sure road safety campaigners or the Met Police would be particularly chuffed with this group’s speeding or road awareness, let alone their apparel. Have they ever been knocked off a motorbike wearing such flimsy outfits?
Unfortunately, no-one from the brand was available for comment but Louw said: “It can be hard to create an ‘edgy/cool crew’ commercial, but still making them feel warm and welcoming to the viewer, and I’m proud that our ad does exactly that.
“It feels like you can totally be a part of this crew, riding alongside them, and that’s also down to efforts we made to make the camera feel like its part of the action too.”
So, what is the consensus around the Decision Marketing office?
The thing is, we have never been big biker fans and as former owners of a Yamaha ‘fizzy’ FS1E, it is perhaps easy to why. Back in the day, we spent more time being propelled in the hedgerows of Sussex than we did actually sitting on the damn thing.
Now, while some may see this ad and be desperate to join a motorcycle posse, let us give you an enlightening statistic: in 2020, 285 motorcyclists were killed in Britain, while 4,429 were reported to be seriously injured and 8,890 slightly injured.
If you still think that’s cool, don’t let us stop you. For everyone else, there are far safer ways of getting around…
Decision Marketing Adometer: A “not-so Wild Ones” 6¾ out of 10