BMW brand Mini’s new television commercials poke fun at men with boobs and women with moustaches as part of a humorous new campaign called ‘Be Mini.’

Developed by Taxi 2 with media handled by Media Experts, the new campaign and tagline mark a return to TV for the pint-sized car that last year celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Last year, much of the marketing budget was spent on outdoor and experiential marketing as part of the birthday celebrations, including a party at the Docks in Toronto, explains John Cappella, director, Mini Canada. This year the media and creative agencies were asked to determine which medium would have the most forceful impact with the new, fun messaging, and they both determined that medium would be television.

‘We wanted to start [year] 51 with a bang,’ Cappella tells MiC. ‘We still get people referencing TV spots that we launched seven years ago, especially messages that have to do with fun. It was really a great medium for that.’

The 15- and 30-second spots will air nationally on conventional and specialty channels across Canada, as well as pre-roll ads online during CTV and Canwest programming. The new tagline, ‘Be Mini,’ is an umbrella theme that best captures the state of mind of the diverse Mini demographic, he says.

‘Many people want their car to be an extension of themselves,’ he says, adding that Mini’s racing history and legacy of customization make it appeal to people who like a little self-expression in their cars.