Indy 500 to Feature Life-Size Hot Wheels

Chances are little boys who play with Hot Wheels, Mattel's line of die-cast toys, imagine themselves racing the tiny cars down the "V-Drop" track set that attaches to their bedroom door.

In an effort to bring that dream to reality — and extend the appeal of Hot Wheels to big boys as well — Mattel is teaming up with Izod to sponsor a life-sized version of the toys at the Indianapolis 500.

A 100-foot tall door will hold a life-size V-Drop track that will be built at the speedway, right inside the track. A stunt driver will drive a life-size Hot Wheels car down the track, attempting to beat a world record for a distance jump. Minds, of all ages, will be blown.

The Team Hot Wheels Indy 500 promotion will be supported by a Hot Wheels for Real sweepstakes which, of course, will offer a trip to the Indianapolis 500 as one of the prizes. A Hot Wheels TV show is being planned to air after coverage of the Indy 500 race featuring the stunt.

This kind of experiential marketing is the ultimate fantasy/reality connection, designed to create excitement across a broad range of men. In essence, the toys that appeal to boys age 3 to 8 have been transformed into real-life toys that appeal to boys age 18 and up. In fact, when men become dads they tend to relive the Hot Wheels experience with their kids — or they may become collectors of Hot Wheels cars.

Simon Waldron, VP of marketing for Hot Wheels, tells Stuart Elliott of the New York Times that these men "once had a great connection with Hot Wheels... [previously] we haven't served up a good enough reason for them to re-engage with the brand."

Mike Kelly, EVP for the marketing group at Phillips-Van Heusen, who owns Izod, explains that brand's involvement: "We both go after a common target audience of young men, next-gen males, as we refer to them. As kids, we all played with Hot Wheels." He says the promotion is an opportunity to "reach kids from 5 to 55."

A California production company, Bandito Brothers, along with Mistress, a Los Angeles creative agency, are working with Mattel to execute the Hot Wheels promotion. Damien Eley, a partner at Mistress, tells Elliott that the idea brings to life "a connection with action sports and car culture," making Hot Wheels "relevant to boys of all ages." Since Hot Wheels cars are actually built on a 1:64 scale, it wasn't difficult "imagining everything on a life-size scale."

On May 29, the day of the Indy 500 race, little and big boys alike will see imagination become reality.