By Gigi Duncan, OSV News
In the wake of Jaguar’s controversial “Copy Nothing” ad campaign, Volvo has attracted widespread acclaim for a recent pro-family advertisement, which many see as a counterpoint to the growing cultural divide in advertising and branding.
Launched Nov. 19 as part of a major rebranding effort, Jaguar’s initial “Copy Nothing” ad features androgynous models in colorful outfits, including a man wearing a dress, as slogans such as “create exuberant,” “delete ordinary” and “break moulds” flash on screen. Notably absent in the 30-second commercial are any of Jaguar’s cars.
Despite generating over 160 million views across social media platforms, the ad sparked significant backlash. Critics accused the British luxury car company of sidelining its products in favor of progressive, “woke” messaging.
In contrast, Volvo’s resurfaced September 2024 EX90 ad has been celebrated by many for its emphasis on family values, safety and emotional storytelling rather than over-the-top visuals.
Directed by “Interstellar” and “Oppenheimer” cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, the nearly four-minute ad tells the story of a man learning that he is about to become a father. As the man imagines his daughter’s future, the narrative shifts to showcase Volvo’s safety technology protecting his wife and unborn child in the present time.
The ad ends with the tagline: “Designed to be the safest Volvo car ever made. For life.”
Figures like Tom Pogasic of CatholicVote praised the ad on X, calling it “the most beautiful ad I’ve ever seen.” Guillaume Huin, senior marketing director at McDonald’s, also lauded the ad as “fantastic,” acknowledging its unconventional length and format while also noting that “every comment under the ad said it immediately put Volvo in their consideration set.”
Volvo isn’t the only company to take a pro-family approach in the current advertising landscape. Apple, another global brand known for its innovation, recently launched an ad for its AirPods Pro 2 product titled “Heartstrings.”
Apple’s latest ad centers on a father with hearing loss. As his daughter opens a present on Christmas morning, muffled sounds convey his difficulty in hearing to viewers. He then flashes back to memories of his daughter growing up with similar muffled sounds, before activating the hearing aid feature on his AirPods Pro 2. With his hearing becoming clear, the father is able to fully engage in the present moment, listening intently as his daughter performs “Our House” by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young on the guitar.
Highlighting its accessible technology and features for those with disabilities, Apple’s pro-parenting and pro-family ad received over 17.7 million views on X and much praise for its heartwarming content and effective storytelling.
This marks a subtle but important shift in a broader trend where major corporations, including Apple — a company that has been accused of engaging in “wokeness” frequently throughout the years — are increasingly aligning themselves with cultural values that resonate with a more traditional, family-oriented audience.
In a climate where advertising has become as much about culture as it is about commerce, the pro-family ads of Volvo and Apple stand in stark contrast to Jaguar’s bold rebranding efforts.
The response to these ads suggests that, in a time of growing division and “culture wars,” there remains a significant audience who rejects a “woke” narrative in branding. Instead, the focus of recent advertisements on pro-life, family-oriented values offers a refreshing alternative to the politically charged messaging seen elsewhere.
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Gigi Duncan is passionate about marketing and telling Catholic stories. She lives in Greenville, South Carolina.