How do you reinvigorate a 125-year-old fuel brand? How do you bring new focus to their product that, if used properly, you never see? Well, you bottle it. Literally (almost). Inspired by the direct French translation for fuel, l'essence, we decided to take Sunoco into the world of haute couture with its first fragrance. Burnt Rubbér: The Essence of Racing.
Over the course of its long history, Sunoco’s been fueling the victories of champions like Jimmie Johnson, Graham Rahal, and Courtney Force. As the official fuel of over 50 racing sanctions in the U.S. alone, Sunoco is, quite simply, the essence of racing. We took that notion one step further, working with a French perfumery to produce a luxury unisex eau de parfum for race fans and fashionistas alike. True to the essence of victory, you can’t buy Burnt Rubbér. You can only win it. The campaign opened up the brand to a new audience with coverage in unlikely pubs like GQ & Elle. It sent race fans in a tizzy, too, driving engagement across all of Sunoco’s social channels.
Ah…the sweet smell of success.
Role: Concepting, Account/Project Management, Production, Copywriting
Creative Partners: Ryan Overheiser, Amanda Lippert