The brief

In collaboration with our friends The Tom Sawyer Effect we were asked to create a press launch with a difference for the TomTom Cardio Runner.

Our task was to immerse journalists (mainstream and industry press) in scenarios that altered their physical states, providing data from the watch for analysis at the actual press launch in Victoria House, Bloomsbury.

Reuben’s Response

A fleet of cars leaving from Paddington station were diverted into an underground carpark by the last semblance of the Occupy movement. Guests were forced to abandoned their vehicles and flee up stairs led by a fraught PR representative (actor).

Emerging in Bloomsbury Square they were met by a gaggle of Nordic walkers, and battled in a fierce bowling tournament. Just when the PR representative thought she’d finally got everyone to safety her plans were scuppered when a strange encounter with Derek the transport officer led the audience into a horror scape, a dungeon where they had to peddle for their lives to escape the ominous men in white coats.Finally the Olympic gold medalist Victoria Pendleton swept in to save the day.

After this surreal, blood pumping adventure was over audience were led to the safety of the press launch where they checked their data and saw how the action packed journey affected their heart rates through data collected on their cardio watches.

Results

Events that followed (the immersive experience) were more in keeping with a typical press event – there were drinks and snacks, and smiles all round, and lots of people keen to talk about the watch, and journalists wandering about. There was a presentation, and lots of shiny images. But in terms of creating a memorable experience, and illustrating how well the watch could capture your heart rate, I think they’d already nailed it.

Ian Williams, Editor, fetcheveryone.com

Video created by our client, Reverb Events.