I’m 46.
I’m a husband.
And a father.
I supposedly hold down a senior job at a highly respected company.
I have responsibilities … mortgages and a bunch of other things ‘older people’ should have.
And yet despite all that, when I saw this ad for Hot Wheels, I totally got what they were saying.
Oh Hot Wheels.
When I was a kid, they were the toy cars to have.
Matchbox made the practical but Hot Wheels made the sexy.
The daring.
The souped up.
The ‘fuck, that looks cool’.
Kids who were good at maths would play with Matchbox but kids who could play the guitar would have Hot Wheels.
I must admit, I am shocked at all this emotion coming out of me despite the fact I haven’t bought – or played with – a toy car for at least 36 years. And that’s why I love this ad so much, because in an instant – and without showing any product whatsoever – I get it.
I totally get it.
Given this ad appeared on a motorway, I am assuming Hot Wheels actually want to target people like me.
Their goal being to awaken my memories of their brilliant toy cars and introduce my kids to them.
It could be because a while back I read Hot Wheels was a billion dollar company under threat.
Not from other toy car competitors, but because parents didn’t know how to play toy cars with their children. Especially Mum’s with boys.
[Don’t call me sexist, this is what they said]
Whatever the truth is, this ad worked for me.
It not only reminded me how much I loved Hot Wheels, it made me want to play with them with Otis. Which all goes to show that while the features of a brand can be copied, it’s spirit and values are always unique.