Snarky automotive advertising is nothing new, but it’s also infrequent enough that it’s usually fun to see. In the case of Ineos, though, its newest campaign isn’t entirely in good fun. Although it highlights the distinctiveness of the Grenadier SUVs, it’s also a pointed jab at a company that gave it quite a bit of trouble as it tried to get off the ground.
A Bold Billboard
Ineos calls its new advertising campaign “Us vs. Them,” and it leads with a digital billboard showing an Ineos Grenadier covered in mud and dirt, next to a spotless modern Land Rover Defender. The ad is also appearing on social media, but the billboard is particularly notable as one iteration of it is placed directly outside a Land Rover and Jaguar dealer. The obvious message is that the Ineos Grenadier is a real off-roader meant to be used as such, not just a commuter SUV. Lynn Calder, CEO of Ineos Automotive, adds that it highlights that the company and the vehicle are different from other offerings.
“We’ve held our tongues while winning the court cases over and over again, and we feel it’s now time to set the record straight: we’re not them, and we’re not trying to be them. Good luck to the others: they’re cool cars. But we’re tired of the comparisons. To be clear, this is all about saying we’re different.”
The Land Rover Lawsuit
The fact that Calder makes any reference to the company’s legal battle with Land Rover is a sign that this campaign has some bitter notes to it. Land Rover sued Ineos to prevent it from producing the Grenadier, citing it as looking too close to the classic Defender that was about to be discontinued. Land Rover argued that the Grenadier infringed on Land Rover’s intellectual property. In the end, Ineos won its case, with the judge agreeing with the company that, despite similarities, the vehicles were still very distinguishable.
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Get ready for the Ineos Grenadier.
We would also argue that, since the Defender name continues on with a far more modern shape, the two are even easier to distinguish than before. That’s even before digging into the mechanical aspects. Whereas the modern Defender uses an unibody chassis, rack-and-pinion steering and fully-independent front and rear suspension, with available air springs with adjustable height, the Grenadier is distinctly traditional. The Ineos has solid front and rear axles, recirculating-ball-type steering, and a body-on-frame chassis. Arguably one of the most modern things in it is the BMW powertrain. So, in the end, Ineos is having the last laugh, and it’s sharing it with the world.
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