Land Rover is well-known for luxury and off-road capability. So when we were asked to launch the high-performance Range Rover Sport, we developed an immersive hybrid of film and mobile gaming to prove the brand’s on-road credibility through stunning visuals, emotion and first-person engagement. In Race the Sun, viewers become gamers, racing alongside a nameless hero as he challenges hills and pavement under the watchful eye of a mysterious game master. The journey is a metaphor for Land Rover’s new on-road prowess as the vehicle emerges from the wilderness to tame the open road.

A typical print ad wouldn’t show the diverse capabilities of the vehicle. We needed a new and innovative way to demonstrate its amazing features. Image recognition technology allowed people to use their mobile device to experience the versatility, power and speed of the vehicle through multiple senses:

- Users could see the vehicle’s world record-setting run up Pikes Peak.

- By turning their phone into a virtual gas pedal, they could hear the sound of the turbocharged 510 horsepower engine.

- In a video to show off-road capability, they could feel the drive over a variety of terrains via different vibration patterns.

By focusing on a clean, non-distracting design, engagement with the campaign greatly exceeded expectations. Site visitors played well over 20,000 games and spent an average of 2:35 engaging. The in-game configurator contributed to a 36% rise in vehicle customizations across all Land Rover sites. And following the launch, Land Rover USA reported their best sales month in history. The Range Rover Sport was in such high demand that buyers signed up for a six-month waiting list.