If you are a company or organization looking to meet any of the following goals with your next campaign or event, you have come to the right place!
- Wow a crowd at your next event (in person or virtually)
- Create buzz around a product or new launch
- Generate shareable content
- Highlight key features or capabilities of a product or service
- Celebrate an anniversary or milestone
For years, the power of record-breaking has served to celebrate superlative achievements by individuals, brands, and businesses around the world, and that includes companies within the automotive space.
When fused into a car campaign or event, record-breaking has literally driven brands to reach new heights, speeds, and distances for media and consumers to witness, interact with and experience as if they were on the journey themselves.
From Hyundai, Porsche, Subaru, and Jaguar to Chevrolet, BMW, Volkswagen and more, check out these record-breaking car activations that were organized with one or more of these five purposes in mind:
1. Host a Memorable Event Activation
Jaguar – Most loop-the-loops in a Hot Wheels track
Where: Chicago, USA - 2020 Chicago Auto Show
When: 5 February 2020
Campaign Purpose: Auto Show Activation/Product Unveiling
To create a one-of-a-kind experience around the unveiling of its F-type car series, Jaguar and Hot Wheels teamed up with American author and avid Hot Wheels collector, Mike Zarnock to set this epic record title during the 2020 Chicago Auto Show.
Audiences and media were kept engaged at the brand’s booth while watching the custom-made Hot Wheels concept car fly down the record-breaking track during the event.
To add to the excitement, a GWR adjudicator joined Jaguar onsite to announce the successful results and present the record holders with their official certificate. Read the full story.
Subaru – Largest parade of Subaru cars
Where: Costa Mesa, California, USA
When: 4 October 2020
Campaign Purpose: Event Activation
Each year, Subaru hosts an in-person event called Subifest which brings together Subaru owners and fans from across the country.
For its 2020 event in Costa Mesa, California, the brand wanted to find a way to keep audience members engaged while observing social distancing guidelines to ensure the safety of attendees amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
After connecting with GWR, the brand transformed its 2020 event into a record-breaking “car parade party,” inviting its attendees to help set the record for the largest parade of Subaru cars where guests could join in on the fun from the comfort of their own vehicle.
2. Create Buzz Around a Product Launch
Hyundai - Most Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) airborne simultaneously
Where: Shanghai, China
When: 29 March 2021
Campaign Purpose: Highlight Product Features/Product Launch/Brand Awareness
To mark the launch of its new GENESIS G80 in China, Hyundai presented a high-tech and innovative drone flight performance that would be sure to leave a lasting impression among audiences.
Using Shanghai’s most prominent landmark, the city’s skyline, as a backdrop, thousands of gleaming drones were launched into the night sky in front of spectators on both sides of the Huangpu River to depict the story of the GENESIS and its iconic design elements.
To conclude the show, a collection of 3,281 drones, which made up the final record count, formed together to display the GENESIS logo in the sky. The record announcement garnered over 65 pieces of coverage and 296.9M+ impressions in the US and Canada alone.
BMW – Greatest cumulative distance vehicle drift in 8 hours (wet surface) & Longest twin vehicle drift (water assisted)
Where: Greer, South Carolina, USA
When: 11 December 2017
Campaign Purpose: Product Launch/Brand Awareness
Danish racing driver, Johan Schwartz, and American precision driver, Matt Mullins, are no strangers to pushing cars to their limits, so BMW knew they were just the men for the challenge when it came to attempting these two official record titles in its new M5 saloon.
Both attempts were successful with Johan smashing the “greatest drift” record with an incredible new distance of 374.17 km (232.5 miles), followed by the duo achieving the “longest drift” record with a total distance of 79.26 km (49.25 mi).
Following the attempt, the drivers joined BMW at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas to demonstrate their drifting skills for attendees and the brand released a video featuring the record-breaking action which has amassed over 6 million views to date.
3. Generate Shareable Content
Volvo – Largest object unboxed
Where: Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
When: 11 May 2017
Campaign Purpose: Content Creation/Product Launch
When Volvo’s VP of Marketing and Brand Management saw that a film with a little kid unboxing a Spiderman toy had gathered over 200 million views on YouTube, he asked himself how they could create a piece of content that generated similar levels of engagement for the launch of their all-new VNL series.
Based on this brief, GWR created a new record title for the largest object unboxed so that Volvo could create their own record-breaking viral content.
The video content produced features 3-year-old Joel Jovine unboxing a massive Volvo truck and was viewed nearly 25 million times in the fortnight after launch, making it the most watched Volvo Trucks North America video ever and number three on Ad Age’s July 25th Viral Video Chart.
Hyundai – Largest tire track image
Where: Delamar Dry Lake, Nevada, USA
When: 18 January 2015
Campaign Purpose: Content Creation/Brand Awareness
Hyundai was looking for a creative way to visually demonstrate that its Hyundai Genesis line was more than just a vehicle by pushing the boundaries of what a car could do - In fact, they wanted to convey that its car could serve as a mode of communication.
After contacting GWR, Hyundai set out to attempt a new record for the largest tire track image where the vehicle facilitated the communication between 13-year-old Stephanie from Texas and her Astronaut father away at the International Space Station.
Watch the viral video content created by Hyundai to see what Stephanie wrote to her father in space!
4. Highlight Key Product Features
Porsche – Fastest speed achieved by a vehicle indoors
Where: New Orleans Convention Center, in Louisiana, USA
When: 18 November 2020
Campaign Purpose: Product/Brand Awareness
To increase awareness around its first all-electric sports car, Porsche joined forces with American racing driver, Leh Keen, to attempt an indoor speed record like no other.
Having been an unbroken record since 2013, this attempt would be no easy feat, but Porsche believed its Taycan Turbo S could compete as it possessed key features including powerful carbon ceramic brakes and the ability to accelerate and decelerate in just seconds.
After all, when you're driving indoors at over 100 mph, speedy braking is essential, and the attempt video makes this very apparent! Read the full story.
NIO - Highest altitude achieved in an electric car
Where: Purog Kangri Glacier, Tibet, China
When: 24 September 2018
Campaign Purpose: Highlight Product Features/Brand Awareness
As an emerging electric vehicle brand, NIO hoped to establish brand awareness in the increasingly competitive electric vehicle market so that more people could understand the advantages of its product.
Working with GWR, the brand organized an official attempt for the highest altitude achieved in an electric car to demonstrate the vehicle’s long-lasting battery life and high performing abilities in extreme geographical conditions.
During the attempt, driver Chen Haiyi from China, officially set the record after driving the NIO ES8 to a new height of 5,715.28 m (18,751 ft), proving that the NIO vehicle can withstand even the “rockiest” of conditions.
Hyundai Motor India Limited has since achieved this title as of 8 January 2020.
5. Celebrate a Milestone
Jaguar – Largest loop the loop in a car
Where: Frankfurt, Germany
When: 14 September 2015
Campaign Purpose: Anniversary Celebration/Brand Awareness
To celebrate its 80th anniversary in style and present its all-new practical sports car, the Jaguar F-PACE, to media at the Frankfurt Motor Show in a unique way, Jaguar contacted GWR to attempt a gravity-defying stunt record that would showcase the car’s exceptional performance, agility, and strength.
The attempt took place during the evening at Niederrad Racecourse in Frankfurt where the Jaguar F-PACE was driven with daring precision by expert British stunt driver, Terry Grant.
The stunt was captured in breathtaking style via a multi-camera film shoot with the resulting video becoming an instant hit on social media.
Chevrolet – Largest banner flown by a vehicle
Where: Kuwait City, Kuwait
When: 30 November 2018
Campaign Purpose: Anniversary Celebration
In 2018, Yusuf A. Alghanim & Sons Automotive Company (Chevrolet) in Kuwait wanted to celebrate the 70th anniversary of its long-standing partnership with General Motors, which also coincided with the 100th anniversary of Chevrolet trucks. Aiming to create an event that would reinforce this partnership and establish the company’s distinction and pioneering position, the brand turned to GWR to determine a record title that would best meet its goals.
In the spirit of friendly competition, Chevrolet (USA) first held the title of largest banner flown by a vehicle in 2016 until Ford Motor Company stole it at its annual Ford Championship Weekend, just months later.
When Chevrolet (Kuwait) reached out to GWR about its 2018 event, GWR knew the perfect title to suggest as it would demonstrate the strong performance of the Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD truck which ultimately pulled the 433 square meter flag over 100 meters without touching the ground, surpassing Ford’s 2016 record by a landslide.
How is your brand inspiring your audiences? Attempt to break a world record for brand awareness, a product launch, celebration, CSR, fundraising or employee engagement – Find out more here, or contact us for more information.
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