April 13, 2022

BL’s Promotion of The Kendall Custom Raises $450,000 for Charity.

Bailey Lauerman has been the agency of record for Kendall Motor Oil since 2017. Every year we are challenged to find new ways to grow our auto-enthusiast audience, build legitimacy and increase brand affinity.

 
Those who pour Kendall Motor Oil know the difference between merely getting a job done versus doing a job right. That’s because they know that with engines, like life, you get out what you put in.

We pitched the idea to build a custom muscle car that shows on the outside what Kendall Motor Oil does on the inside.

BL and Kendall partnered with SEMA-award-winning builders Thompson Street Customs to design and build a one-of-a-kind muscle car—The Kendall Custom. To capture all the detail that goes into building a custom ’67 Mustang restomod, we created and filmed a web series, Titanium Garage, hosted by NBC expert commentator Bill Stephens. As we took our idea from blueprint to blacktop, Kendall fans became part of the custom car build process over the course of six episodes.

The final episode of Titanium Garage documents the unveiling of The Kendall Custom in Indianapolis at a special Mecum Auto Auction. Our completed creation then began its nationwide tour, on display at Mecum Auctions and key events where its fans could see firsthand the results of the passion and craftsmanship that went into it.

A supporting digital and social campaign featured exclusive car content to share the story of the 20+ builders who helped create this 1,080-HP spectacle. We partnered with MotorTrend and auto influencer Emily Reeves to develop video content and a feature article about the process.

In order to generate pre-auction awareness, we developed a Kendall Custom press kit. This kit was designed to attract the attention of automotive enthusiasts, collectors and potential bidders. Working in conjunction with our partners, a highly targeted list of potential bidders was developed. The Kendall Custom kit included a custom license plate, a Mecum Auctions bidder badge, a custom letter encouraging them to bid on the Kendall Custom, and a collectible die-cast model of The Kendall Custom.

See the work.

The Kendall Custom was sold at Mecum Kissimmee for $450,000, with all proceeds benefiting Curing Kids Cancer. Through our collective marketing efforts, the campaign garnered:

• More than 200,000 social media reattractions with our target audience
• 450,000 video views
• Over six million digital ad impressions
• 528.5 million earned media impressions through PR outreach:
• Car of the Week: This 1,080-HP one-off Mustang restomod is heading to auction for a good cause (Robb Report)
• The Kendall Custom is designed to stop traffic (MotorTrend)
• Kendall Motor Oil auctioning off custom Mustang benefiting Curing Kids Cancer (Old Cars Weekly)
• Car enthusiasts come together as “Kendall Custom” sale helps support families battling childhood cancers (Associated Press News)

“The Kendall Custom has been a journey,” said Julie Wright, director of brand management at Phillips 66^® Lubricants. “We set out to deliver the Mecum audience a car that exemplifies what Kendall Motor Oil lives by: You Get Out What You Put In^®. This project had a lot of passion behind it and, more importantly, a ton of heart.”

 
–Julie Wright, Director of Brand Management at Phillips 66^® Lubricants
 
 

“We saw the car here last year. We’ve bid a lot online and at different auctions and the car is always there. The advertisement on TV is always there.”
“I mean, to be able to do this and follow our passion with an amazing awesome car, and also give to an incredible charity, where it really, truly makes a difference, makes the car even more meaningful to us. And frankly, it’s a car we’ll preserve because of that. It will be preserved because it deserves to be preserved.”

 
–James Walker, Winning Bidder of The Kendall Custom