Lucid Motors is taking electric vehicle storytelling to the next level with the launch of its Gravity SUV and a bold new campaign featuring new global brand ambassador Timothée Chalamet. The debut spot, “Driven,” 2:00 plays less like a car commercial and more like an action movie complete with edge-of-your-seat chase sequences, sweeping desert landscapes, and a rebellious escape narrative to showcase the vehicle’s capabilities.
By pairing Hollywood craft with Chalamet’s cultural resonance, the brand positions Gravity as more than just a luxury SUV — it’s a vehicle of possibility and adventure. Backed by a reimagined soundtrack of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ “Burning,” the campaign underscores the brand’s ambition to connect with Millennials and Gen Z on an emotional level, blending innovation with pop culture relevance.
Here’s what iSpot’s Creative Assessment platform revealed on actual viewer response to the new “Driven” ads among those with incomes $75K+.
The Details:
- Second-by-second trace results for the four main creatives in the new Gravity “Driven” campaign reveal some delay in higher-income American viewer engagement for the longer form spots (:60 and 2:00), but quickly rising (and very high) engagement among those viewing the :30 cuts:
- Emotional profiling of comments on each of the ads reflects high levels of Curiosity sparked by the new campaign, with the Cinematic and Arresting visuals (particularly in the 2:00 ‘mini-movie’) earning that engagement.
- Lucid’s Upscale appeal was also evident in sentiment on the spots while some objections to the length (and plot) were also seen (the But emotion). Flatter engagement in the latter half of the longer spots and a decline in engagement as the ads wore on also signifies the length issue.
- Higher-income viewers found the 2:00 to be exciting and modern, and approved of the auto scenes that were included. Some felt the dark lighting made it difficult to see the Gravity, some wanted more information on the model/brand, and a few were concerned about the ‘running from the cops’ narrative.
- Emotional profiling of comments on each of the ads reflects high levels of Curiosity sparked by the new campaign, with the Cinematic and Arresting visuals (particularly in the 2:00 ‘mini-movie’) earning that engagement.
Sample comments from higher-income Americans on “Driven” 2:00
“I absolutely loved this commercial and was genuinely blown away. Lucid seems to be doing something very different with their commercials. At first, I thought this was for a movie trailer, which is a huge compliment. Having Timothée Chalamet in this commercial added to the overall experience because I love his acting. The car’s design looks futuristic and sleek, which I really value.”
Male 21-35
“I thought this was way too long. However, that being said, it really grabbed my attention. It was an exciting car commercial. Probably one of the most I’ve seen in a while.”
Male 36-49
“I liked it. The actors are eye-catching. The opening scene made me curious/interested about what was going on. I like the action. And it was cool seeing shots of the car. It looked futuristic and interesting. I like how it showed its range. It made me wanna look up this car and learn more about it.”
Female 36-49
“The ad didn’t seem to focus on how cool the car was, but more of it being stolen and driven fast. Couldn’t really see the car in the light.”
Female 36-49
“The ad definitely held my attention to learn more about the product. The premise was a bit uncomfortable because of the actions of the actors being seemingly unlawful. The message about the product was clearly communicated.”
Female 50+
“I think this ad is a little disappointing. It didn’t tell me much of anything about the car. It wasn’t very relatable unless you and your partner are running from the police.”
Male 36-49
“It was a very unique ad compared to many other car ads and it made me interested to know more about it and made me want it.”
Female 21-35
- Across the campaign, resonance of each of the spots increased as viewer age decreased, with the 21-35 higher-income segment generally Lucid’s best audience while those 50+ did not engage:
- Younger viewers found the :30 “Driven” ad concept riveting and compelling, as well as confusing and/or a bit frustrating.
Sample comments from higher-income Americans on “Driven” 2:00
“I think they should show more of the car in their advertising. It is a commercial about cars, not about a relationship. I understand they are trying to relate to people but I think they should show more of the actual vehicle itself and less of the couple that owns it.”
Male 21-35
“I thought it was catchy! The car looked super fancy. Made me more interested.”
Female 21-35
“The ad is highly captivating and easily grabs attention, evoking a sense of excitement that sparks curiosity and a desire to learn more.”
Male 21-35
“The commercial had dark imagery and didn’t describe the product to any degree.”
Male 21-35
“I have never heard of this brand of car. Timothee Chalamet definitely had me more interested in it. It made me wonder, if he is in it does that mean this is something cool and innovative?”
Female 21-35
“I thought the ad was exciting and cinematic, showing the Lucid Gravity as innovative and powerful.”
Female 21-35
“The logo isn’t on the screen long enough. I don’t even know anything about the car or the brand.”
Female 21-35
“It was good as the graphics were amazing, but the message it said wasn’t really clear. It just made me keep guessing, which I didn’t like.”
Male 21-35
Among Higher-Income 21-35-year-olds:
- Each of the “Driven” creatives were Attention-getting to those 21-35 (incomes 75K+), but the cinematic 2:00 creative was by far the best-received by this audience (benchmarked to all lux auto ads of the past year within the audience segment):
- While entertaining, many of the ads simply didn’t deliver enough Information to be Relevant to the audience; however, the level of Information and Change perceived to have been delivered in the 2:00 spot led to higher Relevance and high Desire. This is reflective of response to automotive ads overall — American consumers typically look for specifics on the vehicles in this category as they seek features, models, colors, and other options that interest them.
- As such, it is not surprising that the 2:00 “Driven” sparked the highest consideration, with 70% of all viewers 21-35 being more likely to visit/purchase.
- It is also encouraging that the two :30 spots sparked interest as well, with about two in three 21-35’s claiming increased consideration, levels that compare favorably to the audience lux auto norm of 55%.
- Based on viewer response, spending against the :60 would not be expected to drive higher intent than either :30 ad but there could be value in some media placements for the 2:00 to drive outcomes as it provided the more complete sense of the vehicle itself.
- While entertaining, many of the ads simply didn’t deliver enough Information to be Relevant to the audience; however, the level of Information and Change perceived to have been delivered in the 2:00 spot led to higher Relevance and high Desire. This is reflective of response to automotive ads overall — American consumers typically look for specifics on the vehicles in this category as they seek features, models, colors, and other options that interest them.
- Regardless of the ad length, Lucid unaided recall tracked well below lux auto norms among younger viewers, but “product” recall (Gravity) while below 20%, often placed above the average category creative:
- The darker lighting and unique font in the Lucid logo likely contributed to lower recall, with the largest non-match being responses of “Lucio.”
- 19%-22% of each ad’s audience could not recall the advertised brand, or said the branding went by too quickly – an issue to address via quick edits or in future creative.
- For a campaign still seeking to build awareness as well as a definitive image, audio branding or some narration of the brand and model name as well as its distinctiveness could go a long way.
- The darker lighting and unique font in the Lucid logo likely contributed to lower recall, with the largest non-match being responses of “Lucio.”
- iSpot media measurement reports a favoring of the :30 “Driven: Getaway” in national linear Impression delivery from 9/5/25 launch through 9/10/25:
- In-market Attention Indices above 100 indicate strong media placements to date.
- The “Driven” campaign saw the most Impressions on streaming but was not the only Lucid campaign on air over this period.
- Based on viewer response among younger viewers, there could be value in considering a shift of Spend from the :60 to the 2:00 in at least a few high reach placements. Additional cuts of the longer-form could also be tested to confirm the balance of the distinction Lucid is intending and enough information to drive further consideration.
- In-market Attention Indices above 100 indicate strong media placements to date.
- Across the complete higher-income audience (all age/gender segments), results were consistent in that the 2:00 “Driven” delivered the most Information, thereby sparking the highest level of consumer intent:
- The :60 again trailed in comparison, suggesting the :30’s (perhaps with a bit more brand clarity) would be better options for Lucid if budgets will not allow for 2:00 airings.
All Viewers:
Lucid Motors isn’t just launching the Gravity SUV, it’s launching an invitation to experience the brand through storytelling. Merged with bold design, and a cultural icon like Timothée Chalamet, Lucid signals that the future of driving is as much about emotion and imagination as it is about performance.
Schedule a demo to find out how your brand can partner with iSpot to quickly solve both challenges simultaneously, delivering high-performing creative while boosting the effectiveness of planning and in-market execution to achieve—and outperform—campaign objectives.
Creative Agency: AOR Giant Spoon