There are few experiences in life more universally annoying – and anxiety-provoking – than trying to park a car in a very snug space.
Unnecessarily tight multi-storey car park bays can fill even the most confident of drivers with feelings of utter dread. And now, thanks to a new experiential prank from Norwegian insurance firm DNB, this worrying scenario has been taken to a whole new level.
It’s widely accepted that one of the best ways to make an impact with experiential marketing is to disrupt consumers as they go about their everyday lives – and DNB, working in close conjunction with Try, Oslo – accomplished just that when the company created “The Sneaky Pillar”.
The firm made the decision to prank potential customers in a bid to make its somewhat unusual proposition hit home – that 1 in 3 dents are parking related, but its insurance policy allows for one dent without the customers’ bonuses being affected.
Hardly the most exciting of messages, DNB came up with an ingenious way to make its value-add offer unforgettable.
‘The Sneaky Pillar’ saw DNB create a special parking pillar that had a motorised unit housed inside it. Perfectly matching all other pillars within a busy car park, unsuspecting drivers drove into car parking bays only to be met by a big surprise.
Blocking some drivers in completely from behind, and wedging others’ doors closed, the mischievous moving pillars sprung into action to make life a nuisance for drivers, even going so far as to prevent some being able to park at all!
This simple but effective prank demonstrates the power that can come with shaking up consumers’ daily routines and capturing their real reactions on film. It’s yet another example of a creative automotive-focused experiential activation.
We’ve seen Fiat’s parking billboard stunt give drivers a virtual helping hand, BMW put entrepreneurs to the ultimate test with a pulse-racing pitch experience, and Smart Car challenge brave participants to one incredibly truthful test drive. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
For even more inspiration, be sure to check out these 10 fast-paced experiential activations from automotive brands that took drivers on some very exciting rides.