Project Vehicle Content Series to Engage Target Audience

We rebuilt a 1998 Chevy S10 and a 1985 Toyota Pickup in our Content Studio and chronicled the process over 12 content episodes to demonstrate Dupli-Color and VHT’s full product offering.

Challenge

After the success of the Project Vehicle Content Series we produced for Dupli-Color, the parent company — Sherwin-Williams — decided to use a similar strategy to promote Dupli-Color’s sister brand, VHT. While the target audience was essentially the same — automotive DIYers — the challenge was that VHT had a much smaller brand recognition and budget than Dupli-Color. So in order for these videos to gain any traction whatsoever, we needed to do something different to help VHT gain some presence in the industry.

Check out the other Project Vehicle Series we developed for Dupli-Color:

• 1969 International Scout

• 1979 Chevrolet El Camino
• 1950s Style Hot Rod Roadster
• 1972 Plymouth Satellite

Ideation

To replicate the success of the Dupli-Color series among DIY audiences, we focused the concept for a new video series for VHT around a similar how-to format that demonstrated the use of products. This series, however, would feature a “truck vs. truck competition” pitting Dupli-Color versus VHT. By showcasing Dupli-Color’s restoration line alongside VHT’s performance products, we could promote both brands at the same time and leverage Dupli-Color’s popularity to introduce the VHT brand to the DIYers who were already committed Dupli-Color followers.

Execution

We used the Dupli-Color Garage set on one side of our Content Studio and built a VHT set on the other side to film the head-to-head competition. The scripting and editing of the video series was designed to both inform and entertain automotive DIYers who wanted to learn the applications of the respective product lines of both of the brands we represented. We called in our old friend Matte Steele from Truck U to host the series — adding another layer of credibility for the VHT brand. The video series was released in an episodic fashion through YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, building anticipation for the next installment with every video we posted.