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FMBX News
Posted: Apr 13, 2011
Team Hot Wheels set to bring Mistress’ creative to life
‘IZOD Presents Hot Wheels Fearless at the 500’ is the latest event that is set to bring Mattel’s famous toys to life. The creative behind the campaign is by Los Angeles marketing firm Mistress, with production by the Californian firm Bandito Brothers. The creative is being led by Damien Eley, creative partner at Mistress, who was a major name in UK experiential marketing when previously creative director at Mother in London.
On Sunday, May 29, IZOD Presents Hot Wheels Fearless at the 500, sees an attempt by Team Hot Wheels, a newly created crew of stunt drivers, to break the current world record distance jump of 302 feet in a four-wheeled vehicle at the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Fans all around the world will watch as a masked mystery driver from Team Hot Wheels attempts the outrageous -- speeding down a 90 ft. ramp, suspended on an enormous 10-story high door (100 feet tall) and soaring across the infield of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The “IZOD Presents Hot Wheels Fearless at the 500” stunt brings to life the iconic Hot Wheels V-Drop track set boys have played with on their bedroom doors for years, and is part of an overarching brand campaign designed to extend the Hot Wheels experience past childhood, capturing the attention of fans of all ages. The Hot Wheels campaign is supported across multiple media platforms with digital media and television ads, on product packaging, social media activations and premiere partnerships.
“The essence of this multi-year, multi-platform campaign is all about taking the feelings you experienced when playing with Hot Wheels as a kid and bringing them to real life in full scale,” said Simon Waldron, vice president of marketing for Hot Wheels. "By featuring an epic vehicle stunt at this year’s centennial anniversary of the Indy 500, we are engaging fans with a jaw-dropping moment in a way that only Hot Wheels can.”
The “IZOD Presents Hot Wheels Fearless at the 500” jump will be attempted by the Yellow Racer from Team Hot Wheels – a real-life group of mystery, over-the-top professional stunt drivers spanning four vehicle disciplines – rally (green), drift (blue), off road truck (yellow) and freestyle motocross (FMX - red). Consumers can engage with larger-than-life Team Hot Wheels branded content online at www.hotwheels.com/videos, and become a fan on www.facebook.com/hotwheels to catch exclusive behind-the-scenes training and stunt videos. Team Hot Wheels was launched at February's New York Toy Fair alongside celebrity actor Jeremy Piven.
The “IZOD Presents Hot Wheels Fearless at the 500” stunt will culminate by revealing the mystery driver’s true identity to the world following the race on Sunday, May 29. A 30- minute documentary- style special is in the works to air on race day.
IZOD is the presenting partner for the stunt, providing a fully integrated campaign across all media. Social media is with entertainment networking site GetGlue, though, of course, Youtube, Facebook and Twitter are all being used.
An iconic product is also being marketed in-store alongside the campaign. A Hot Wheels classic and now a Toys“R”Us KidPicks exclusive, the V-Drop super velocity track is a tall gravity set that hangs over the top of a door creating a thrilling almost vertical Hot Wheels® drop. The track set’s impressive seven-foot drop and adjustable ramp pushes Hot Wheels® cars to extreme speeds launching them through the air allowing boys to create their own jump stunt.
Hot Wheels has developed a ‘think big’ attitude to its marketing. In Mexico recently giant children shaped billboards were erected either side of a road, whilst in Colombia a giant loop-the-loop was attached to a bridge. These huge displays were created for the brand by Ogilvy and Mather.
In 2008 the brand really engaged with face to face marketing when it undertook a road trip across America in giant Hot Wheels cars to celebrate its 40th anniversary.
