Everybody's Car-Fu Fighting in BBDO Singapore's New ExxonMobil Spot

Mobil 1, the world's leading synthetic engine oil manufacturer, has launched its latest regional campaign, ‘Car-Fu’. Created by BBDO Singapore, the digital campaign includes video, website assets and social activation. 

‘Car-Fu’ is Mobil 1’s homage to the kung-fu film genre. As the name suggests, it’s kung-fu enacted by cars. Kung-fu is synonymous with fluidity and movement, as are cars that are run on Mobil 1. Using distinctive characteristics of the best-loved kung-fu movies of the 1970s, (for example, crash zooms, slo-mo, instantly-recognisable music), the film re-enacts through cars a classic fight sequence between a brave hero and a villain and his posse. 

By leveraging the successful technology partnership between Mobil 1 and McLaren-Honda, Car-Fu was created not only to engage and excite the target audience with entertaining content, but more importantly, to increase awareness and product consideration levels amongst everyday drivers in Asia Pacific. It aims to drive an understanding that Mobil 1 is not just for sports cars or F1 cars, but is the superior choice for road cars too, as amplified through the technology transfer from ‘track to road’. 

The campaign will also feature interviews with stunt drivers focusing on the benefits of enhanced engine performance, as well as sharable content featuring McLaren - Honda’s Formula 1 driver, Fernando Alonso.

Sirapong Phentrakul, ExxonMobil Asia Pacific PVL Brand Advisor commented: “By leveraging on a unique passion point that travels across our key Asia Pacific markets, we worked with BBDO to create fun, shareable branded content that not only sparks excitement amongst our target audience, but also helps to elevate awareness and consideration of our brand.”

Seshadri Sampath, regional business head at BBDO Singapore commented: “We borrowed from the popular culture of Bruce Lee that we can all identify with – if you pour water into the cup, it becomes the cup. And if you pour Mobil 1 into the engine, it becomes the engine. We’re pleased that the execution was done in an entertaining and engaging way to relate to the ordinary driver”.