In another blow to the oil industry, a $2 billion film franchise has partnered with an electric vehicle for its new advertising campaign. The Indiana Jones franchise has made the Ford Explorer EV, an electric conversion of the gas-powered Explorer, the centerpiece of a new ad for the highly anticipated film Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. The ad will appear on television in European markets only.
In a visually stunning commercial that pays homage to the legendary franchise, the Explorer EV sets off on its own cross-continental expedition, captivating viewers with its audacity and style.
The Indiana Jones ad campaign is the latest sign of a massive shift in auto advertising. In 2021, American automakers spent three times as much on electric vehicle advertising ($248 million) as they did in 2019 ($83 million). Meanwhile, ad spend on internal combustion engine (ICE) cars declined by $700 million over the same time period.
This growth in EV advertising was largely caused by supply chain issues that limited the availability of ICE vehicles. However, the shift to EV marketing shows no signs of slowing. By 2021, many brands were reporting a warmer response to EV ads than to ICE ads. For example, viewers of Audi commercials were 90% more likely to search for Audi online when they saw an electric vehicle ad compared to an ICE ad.
The Indiana Jones ad is not the only media campaign to spotlight the Explorer EV. Ford has announced that it has partnered with travel influencer Lexie Alford, also known as Lexie Limitless, to embark on an epic journey. Lexie will take the Explorer EV along the same historic route traveled by Aloha Wanderwell a century ago. Wanderwell was the first woman to travel around the world by car.
Do not be surprised if electric vehicle ad spend overtakes ICE ad spend as early as 2030. The clean energy revolution is happening faster than anyone imagined.
Image source: Image created by John Griffiths, license link at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/. Image cropped.
