Title | Shell Helix - Driven to Extremes |
Agency | MediaCom |
Campaign | Shell Helix - Driven to Extremes |
Advertiser | Shell |
Brand | Shell Helix |
Date of First Broadcast/Publication | 2013 / 6 |
Business Sector | Energy Production, Raw Materials & Minerals |
Story | MOTOR OIL IS BORING.WE NEEDED TO HELP SHELL STAND OUT IN AN EXTREMELY LIMITED CATEGORY. Motor oil is dull and all brands appear the same. We needed to make consumers demand Shell Helix in a category where brand differentiation is extremely limited. Our research told us that we needed to reach drivers either directly via memorable content, or indirectly via self-proclaimed ‘car experts’- the gatekeepers to the wider driving community. We identified an essential insight: only when preparing for extreme journeys – through adverse weather conditions or ahead of long family trips – do car drivers make sure everything is in order. We would make Shell Helix synonymous with ‘extreme’ conditions – by showing it performing in the world’s toughest environments. We’d construct a globe-trotting ‘torture-test programme’ to bring Helix’s benefits to life. It would be unmissable entertainment, exhilarating adventure, motorsport, and techie “know it all” in one compelling package. Execution WE TOOK VIEWERS TO EXTREMES - ON TV, ONLINE AND MOBILE We created “Driven to Extremes”, a 3-part TV series designed to showcase the world’s toughest driving challenges. Part travelogue, part endurance test, each programme was an acid test for the lifeblood of a car engine: the oil, Shell Helix. Each 44-minute episode showed Helix performing in the roughest conditions and was presented by Hollywood A-listers/motor sport duos – like Batman star Tom Hardy and F1 legend Mika Salo. Broadcast on Discovery Networks,the programme was amplified via Shell Helix’s YouTube page, with behind-the-scenesfootage, celebrity interviews and technical info. We used interactive video content units to hyper-target consumers and serve rich media experiences to markets not used to dynamic content (due to slow internet speeds). We backed up content with an exciting mobile driving game, while Facebook mini-games mirrored actual segments from the show – like changing tires and vehicle batteries. Results THE RESULTS WERE EXTREMELY IMPRESSIVE Consumers who saw our content were 50% more likely to say Shell Helix was a unique motor oil brand. Top of mind awareness rose by three-fold or more in key markets Consumers claimed they were 30-40% more likely to purchase Shell Helix. We increased views on the Shell Helix YouTube channel from 2.2M to 6.8M. We generated nearly $5.4m of PR value in the first two weeks of activity, primarily among sites of interest to our primary auto influencer media community. The show has exposed Shell’s message to a potential 315m households globally. |
Philosophy | MOTOR OIL IS BORING.WE NEEDED TO HELP SHELL STAND OUT IN AN EXTREMELY LIMITED CATEGORY. Motor oil is dull and all brands appear the same. We needed to make consumers demand Shell Helix in a category where brand differentiation is extremely limited. Our research told us that we needed to reach drivers either directly via memorable content, or indirectly via self-proclaimed ‘car experts’- the gatekeepers to the wider driving community. We identified an essential insight: only when preparing for extreme journeys – through adverse weather conditions or ahead of long family trips – do car drivers make sure everything is in order. We would make Shell Helix synonymous with ‘extreme’ conditions – by showing it performing in the world’s toughest environments. We’d construct a globe-trotting ‘torture-test programme’ to bring Helix’s benefits to life. It would be unmissable entertainment, exhilarating adventure, motorsport, and techie “know it all” in one compelling package. |
Problem | Execution WE TOOK VIEWERS TO EXTREMES - ON TV, ONLINE AND MOBILE We created “Driven to Extremes”, a 3-part TV series designed to showcase the world’s toughest driving challenges. Part travelogue, part endurance test, each programme was an acid test for the lifeblood of a car engine: the oil, Shell Helix. Each 44-minute episode showed Helix performing in the roughest conditions and was presented by Hollywood A-listers/motor sport duos – like Batman star Tom Hardy and F1 legend Mika Salo. Broadcast on Discovery Networks,the programme was amplified via Shell Helix’s YouTube page, with behind-the-scenesfootage, celebrity interviews and technical info. We used interactive video content units to hyper-target consumers and serve rich media experiences to markets not used to dynamic content (due to slow internet speeds). We backed up content with an exciting mobile driving game, while Facebook mini-games mirrored actual segments from the show – like changing tires and vehicle batteries. |
Result | Results THE RESULTS WERE EXTREMELY IMPRESSIVE Consumers who saw our content were 50% more likely to say Shell Helix was a unique motor oil brand. Top of mind awareness rose by three-fold or more in key markets Consumers claimed they were 30-40% more likely to purchase Shell Helix. We increased views on the Shell Helix YouTube channel from 2.2M to 6.8M. We generated nearly $5.4m of PR value in the first two weeks of activity, primarily among sites of interest to our primary auto influencer media community. The show has exposed Shell’s message to a potential 315m households globally. |
Media Type | Case Study |
Length | |
More Information | www.mediacom.com |
Agency | J. Walter Thompson London |
Creative Director | Jaspar Shelbourne |
Business Director | Johnnie Mitchell |
Advertising Manager | Andrew Hephen |
Executive Creative Director | Russell Ramsey |
Planning Director | Shekhar Deshpande |
Business Director | Johnnie Mitchell |
Account Director | Neil Noronha |
Account Manager | Alyona Yasnogorodsky |