A Turn Ahead For Mobility Experiences
What’s moving experiential in July? From dumbed-down EVs to immersive life drives, a new mobility imperative is emerging: moving people from place to place is the baseline—giving them a reason to connect with the journey itself is the differentiator. This month’s mobility minders: Hadley Cook and Doug Schultz.
FIFA fanscapes redefine the host city
Despite transportation woes, the FIFA World Cup has delivered unforgettable fan experiences.
More than halfway into the FIFA World Cup, one thing has become abundantly clear: the most memorable fan experiences aren’t necessarily happening inside the stadiums. While transportation challenges have been a topic of concern in several host cities, the biggest success stories have come from cities that have embraced the cultures traveling with the tournament.
The rise of the life drive
Today’s brands embed vehicles within the adventures, communities, and lifestyles consumers already crave.
Many consumers have stopped buying vehicles solely based on specs and a brand name. To stand out in an increasingly crowded market, they’re creating stories people see themselves in, where the vehicle has become the enabler of the experience.
“Life drive” programs enable prospects to experience vehicles in their natural habitat—navigating mountains, driving winding roads, and arriving at remote locations—with the drive itself as the payoff. Rivian Adventure Drives invited consumers to trade a morning of dull routine for an afternoon of exciting exploration beginning at a dealership reimagined as an urban oasis and landing at the whimsical gardens of the MET Cloisters. McLaren combined luxury driving with breathtaking scenery across 600 kilometers of Austria and Italy landscape. Porsche’s travel experiences turned luxury road trips into multi-day cultural itineraries for affluent buyers, and Jeep x The North Face winter basecamps merged outdoor communities interests through masterclasses and workshops in an alpine setting.
The dumbphonification of EVs
A new generation of EVs is moving away from screen-heavy spectacle and toward simpler, more tactile forms of ownership.
After years of EVs being positioned as smartphones on wheels, a countertrend is finally emerging: automakers and entrepreneurs are rethinking what electric mobility should feel like.
Slate is perhaps one of the clearest examples. Its new electric truck goes all the way back to basics: no infotainment screen, crank windows, minimal finishes, and a modular accessory model that lets owners build up the vehicle over time. Similarly, on the grassroots end of the spectrum, projects like Mutiny Motors are exploring small-format electric utility vehicles with a DIY spirit, turning EV ownership into a platform for tinkering, modification, and community.
OUT-THERE EXPERIENCES
People, brands and marketers continue to push the boundaries of physical and digital experiences, with new and creative executions popping up across the globe.
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