Rap of the Wrap

I have a bit of history with wrap. The vehicular variety not the musical. On a ‘between tours break’ with the DoD from 1997-99, I worked for a promotional marketing firm that specialized in the creation of marketing campaigns targeting high-profile events. We worked the 2000 Olympics, Ironman, The Rose Bowl, Seattle Marathon, and numerous others, designing eye-catching (and sometimes outlandish) vehicle wraps to serve as mobile billboards at the events. I coordinated the efforts from soup to nuts, establishing contacts, outlining the concepts, getting the OK, supervising the production and occasionally getting the nasty job of application. Once the wraps were on - the rest was easy; Drive around the event and show off the sponsors logo. It was a sweet gig and bittersweet when I had to drop everything and get my arse back to the Indian Ocean for another assignment with the MWR branch of the DoD. I have felt bad about leaving Peter with my work load ever since, but I am sure he has got over it. 

The concept, now standard marketing fare, captured my imagination from the get-go and continues to toss occasional lightening bolts of inspiration my way. As you may recall I have even pitched the current Governor of Washington and Democratic candidate Jay Inslee on the idea of taking his important climate-change message on the road with us for the 2019 Epic Ride tour, 21 days along the coast from Seattle to LA. In the marketing pitch I mentioned that the cost of such a visual grass-roots stunt could be his for less than the cost of a single TV commercial - with the potential to grab as many eyes as well! I await a response from his campaign with great anticipation. 

In the meantime, another juicy op has popped. Last week I invested in a new ride. The superbly utilitarian Ford Transit Connect. I have been looking for such a multi-use vehicle for months, wanting a Dodge/Mercedes but they are, shall we say, pricey? My search ended when the rig I had been seeing every day for months, parked in front of the party rental store just up the road, suddenly sported a FOR SALE sign last week. Inside of an hour I had the title and keys, lightened by a stark of Bens I put on the counter in front of the former owner. 

And now the fun part. We took the still nameless rig on a 425 mile weekend jaunt to do some route intel video of the upcoming Olympic Peninsula ride, now a mere five weeks away and test her game. Outside of a front-end shimmy at 40 and a totally unacceptable stereo system, she's got it. 

What she doesn’t have (other than a nickname) is a brand ID. She is as white as a fresh linen sheet. White all over, a cracker of a car if ever there was. An albino rhino on wheels. She is, pardon the baseball pun, a Whitey Ford. 

That is the rap. She needs one. Something that is right up my alley. I have commissioned a gifted graphic artist in the design of the logo re-brand for the PowerBarn. They being the sponsor of the new PowerBarn SAG service. I have added the tag of “Test, Train, Trips & Tours” to the wrap design. I should have the initial mock tomorrow. 

A quick launch video, a menu of specials, prices and contact information and away we go! 

Rap for the Wrap. (I am thinking about Whitey Ford.)