WRECKED - INTRO
In July of 2008, Speed debuted a new original reality series called Wrecked. Set in the heart of Chicago the show follows the hazardous conditions a company of tow truck drivers face every day. Speed needed a fully integrated campaign to launch the show, highlighting the danger the drivers face while introducing the audience to this family run company/operation. This new series must set ratings records, drive new viewers to the network and act as a lead-in to other Primetime shows. Additionally the target audience is male 18-49 but Speed hoped to attract more female viewers.
WRECKED - RESEARCH
Phase 1 of every project at Perception is research. After interviewing our focus groups the overall consensus was that tow truck drivers were all “dirt bags” praying on the public. This research revealed that our primary challenge in promoting the show would be to shift people’s perception toward tow truck drivers. Securing 3 top notch analysts in this field helped tremendously. Luckily they were right across the water in Hoboken NJ.
WRECKED TOWBOKEN
WRECKED - Pitch / Original Frames
Perception created 3 platforms that each media outlet would build upon. Platforms were as follows "A Shift In Gear," "Testos-Tow-Rone," and "Drama Kings". Below are selected conceptual frames from each of those platforms. These range from story board frames for TV spots, to digital banners that would flood the internet. Perception was also tasked to come up with guerilla concepts. Perception was also tasked to come up with guerilla concepts.
WRECKED - MOTION TEST
As a supporting element to our pitch, Perception also presented a motion test that truly captured the danger, emotion and intensity into one frozen moment in time stretching across a disaster scene. This brought to life a photo essay you would see in a TIME magazine spread expressing that just one image is worth a thousand words.
WRECKED MOTION TEST
WRECKED - STORYBOARD & SCRIPTING
Speed realized this direction would be compelling because it achieved multiple points they wanted to communicate about the show. Using the motion test as our framework they wanted us to pursue spots that would tell the stories of the cast members most intense and vivid moments. These memorable moments were born from the cast’s interviews uncovering true stories that were to unbelievable for anyone to invent. Recreating them was another creative challenge. Here is an initial sketch with a script created for the first one.
WRECKED - CHOREOGRAPHED STILLS
Perception choreographed specific poses and shot high resolution stills of the cast to help rebuild these selected moments on the job. Here are some choreographed stills of the talent.
WRECKED - Frames / Motion Tests / WIP
While building the TV spots Perception was also designing assets for the website, laying out the artwork for print, creating billboards, bus kings, phone kiosks, taxi tops, bus wrapping and other Out of Home layouts. The campaign blanketed NY, LA and Chicago. By June 08, Wrecked was everywhere!
WRECKED - final
Here is a montage of the creative vision executed over the full 360 campaign.
WRECKED MONTAGE
WRECKED - RESULTS
Speed broke every rating record they had for any premiere, ever!-Ratings went from .2 to .9 more then QUADRUPLING ratings from the past.Lila Everett, Speed’s senior vice president of marketing, concurred, "Perception delivered concepts that were aggressive and edgy and best matched the feel of the program itself. They were able to express just what we were looking for in an overall approach."Wrecked was brought back for a second season. This time the mood was darker and shot during the worst winter in Chicago’s history, Mother Nature herself became a main character. Speed also wanted the returning season to feature the cast more prominently. Viewers got to know Bill, Marcy, Joey and the rest of the crew more intimately.