MINI: Meet the MINI Family Video

MINI sends us a 2011 family video

MINI has put together a decent video celebrating the entire MINI family, from MINI to Clubman, Convertible to Countryman.

Many moan that MINI has become a parody under BMW, but the truth is that it’s just become an enormous success with BMW doing what BL tried to do a generation ago – and failed.

BL failed to grow and develop the Mini beyond the 1960s, although it had success in the ’60s with badge-engineered Minis (Riley Elf, Wolsely Hornet), Mini Coopers and Countrymans, and even a grown-up Mini – the Austin/Morris 1100.

So BMW are really only carrying on what BL did in the ’60s, just in spades. There’s already four MINI ranges – MINI, MINI Clubman, MINI Convertible and MINI Countryman – and there are at least three more to come – MINI Coupe, MINI Roadster and MINI Paceman.

And all these MINI’s are succeeding in no small part because of the clever, cute and consistent way BMW has marketed MINI. They’ve made MINI a proper brand and, just like a proper brand, they can take loyal followers forward in to new areas – the MINI Countryman being a good case in point.

So when MINI take the time and trouble – and spend a decent amount of money – to put together a video celebrating the MINI family and where it’s at at the start of 2011, the least we can do is let you all see it. So meet the MINI family in this five minute-long video, with a soundtrack of the Kaiser Chiefs ‘Ruby’.

And if MINI repeat the exercise in 2012 the video will probably need to be twice as long.

MINI: Meet the MINI Family Video 2011