BRINGIN’ THE BATHURST - HOT LAP RADIO

TitleBRINGIN’ THE BATHURST - HOT LAP RADIO
BrandREPCO
Product / ServiceREPCO
CategoryB02. Sound Design
EntrantTHINKERBELL Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
Idea Creation THINKERBELL Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
Media Placement INITIATIVE Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
Post Production ZIGZAG POST Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Post Production 2 ZIGZAG POST Sydney, AUSTRALIA

Credits

Name Company Position
Adam Ferrier Thinkerbell Strategy
Jim Ingram Thinkerbell Creative
Gideon Nedas Thinkerbell Account Manager
Josh Parmenter Thinkerbell Creative
Cale Berry Thinkerbell Creative
Julia Keller Thinkerbell Account Service
Jess Evernden Thinkerbell Production
Kym Sutherland Repco Client
Jenny La Brooy Repco Client
Nicole Stone Repco Client
Aaron Farrelly Initiative Media Media
Rebecca Olsson Initiative Media Media
Neil Crompton AirTime Media Post Production
Derek Allan ZigZag Post Audio Engineering

Write a short summary of what happens in the radio or audio execution or campaign.

Repco celebrated its title sponsorship of the Australian Repco Bathurst 1000 race by ‘Bringin’ the Bathurst’ to everything they did, even radio! Repco’s ‘Hot Lap’ was a 2 minute 30 second long spot, the same time it takes to complete an actual hot lap around the track itself. Race commentator Neil Crompton took rev heads on a real time journey from the passenger seat of a mighty V8 Supercar, as it was taken for a hot lap around the Bathurst racetrack. The media strategy was creatively led, with scheduling during peak driving commute times, so our race fan listeners could experience an authentic hot lap as they drove.

Script & Translation. Provide a full English script and translation of any audio.

VO: I’m in the Repco Supercar about to do a hot lap around Mount Panorama. Why? Because Repco’s BRINGIN’ THE BATHURST. Yep, even to their radio ads! Let’s go! Heading up Mountain Straight... it’s steep... and narrow... Chasing some clean air. Remember a clean air filter means better engine performance and efficiency... Make sure you change yours about once a year. 5th gear - 260 kilometres an hour. Heavy uphill braking, Turn 2... waaaatch the road camber change on exit... Now the real climb begins... forth... Past the rock face, it’s blind into The Cutting... don’t lock a brake now! 1 in 6 gradient - crazy steep - feeeed the power on... short shift into third gear.... This is why we all looooovvve the Mountain... concrete everywhere, life in fast forward.... Bomb it into the metal grate at Reid Park - big, big, big steering and suspension loads.... You need a clean windscreen here. Get all the best car care from the biggest brands at Repco. Top of the mountain.... McPhillamy Park.... 220 kilometres an hour onto Skyline.... Back of the car is skittish Esses... Dipper... onto 2 wheels... mistake here and you eat a concrete wall... Third gear back to 180 kays down the mountain... To Forrest’s Elbow... Slowest corner on the circuit... Second gear - 85 kilometers an hour... Now, onto Conrod Straight... Take care of your engine by using top-quality oils and filters... Check them every few weeks and when you need to replace them, Repco stock a huge range. 300 kays - Almost out of revs... 100% Flat through the kink... Huge stop in the Chase... front brake temps - 800 degrees plus... Remember Repco has the right tools and gear for every job on your car... Watch out for rear brake locking into Murray’s Corner back to second gear. 650 horsepower wants to bite... under the Repco bridge and the chequered flag. SFX: Driver over radio: “Yes, yes!” Pit lane over radio: “That was awesome mate, absolutely awesome drive” Driver over radio: “Thank you so much” VO: For all your car needs, get into Repco for the best gear, from all your favourite brands. Repco, Bringin’ the Bathurst.

Cultural / Context information for the jury

A traditional part of the Bathurst 1000 is the ‘pilgrimage’ up to the ‘mountain’; a journey fans take from all over Australia to come and watch the race. Part of what we wanted to achieve was to ensure we were targeting our diehard race fans and enthusiast audiences at a specific time on their pilgrimages. In this case, with ‘Hot Lap’ radio, we’d be reaching them right at the end of their journey and the start of the race weekend. To ensure authenticity, legendary Bathurst race commentator Neil Crompton was used as VO talent. He donned a helmet and was made to sound like he was strapped into a real V8 Supercar , whilst taken for a lap around the track. All teams involved in production worked hard to make sure the audio levels, timings and reactions to the high powered car were captured as it went around the track.

Tell the jury about the sound design.

The ambition for the Repco ‘Hot Lap’ radio execution was to ensure authenticity for the race fans. Legendary race commentator Neil Crompton took listeners on a real-time lap around the track, this ensured all genuine sound effects, like the car, revs, acceleration, braking and deceleration where all authentic, as well as the changes in voice and tone throughout the turns in the track he is describing. It was important that the SFX matched exactly what the VO was saying, each turn is called out during the spot and race fans would pick up whether the car was in the correct gear while taking each bend. At the end of the spot, authentic SFX from the pit crew during the record were also kept in, building the ambience and helping further set the scene around the spot.