When Shell turned to Staging Solutions to craft the reveal of the Starship – their new Hyper Fuel-Efficient Truck – they needed something out of the ordinary, and we needed more than a theater and a screen to tell the story: We needed the truck itself!
The experience was designed to build up to a high-tech reveal of the event’s key component – the Starship truck – not only as the subject, but also as the projection screen. Thus, the truck “told its own story” through animated video projected directly on its surface. The video also introduced branded messaging and other content that became the focus of a subsequent press conference.
Our challenge was to engage and impress an experienced audience of journalists with a story about Shell’s next-generation truck, featuring futuristic elements that will become increasingly relevant in the years to come.
Information of this consequence deserved a reveal that was orders-of-magnitude bigger than the audience’s expectation. This next-generation truck will reduce emissions and increase fuel efficiency and fuel economy in the transportation sector; the high-energy, show-stopping reveal was a perfect introduction.
Staging Solutions designed digital content to reveal the truck’s key features, and how they would change the industry. We worked with Shell to ensure the story included all the highlights and showcased the correct brand and style.
Next, we put the story into an immersive experience that would communicate effectively with an audience of three distinct groups. Each group required its own set of messaging – which was addressed in the press conference that followed the reveal – and each attendee needed to be WOWED! and motivated to share their excitement.
In addition to fuel efficiencies, the Shell Starship rolled out new features including assisted steering and braking, and an aerodynamic design to reduce drag. The digital content was designed to “peel back” the physical layers, depicting the inner workings of the vehicle in action. The video also showed the truck’s cross-country journey; visuals included the drive from LA to Jacksonville, and reinforced the Shell brand as both innovative and environmentally conscious.
The goal of this informative, surprising, and delightful display – to excite a knowledgeable audience – was achieved through the immersive environment, the exceptional quality of the video content, and the superb technical execution in the room. The audience’s demand that the program be replayed immediately confirmed it.
Shell, AirFlow Truck Company introduce their long-awaited Starship#AutoNews #Automotive #AutomotiveIndustry @Shell #shellstarship #Shell https://t.co/918c1vM88Y pic.twitter.com/BvT92Ot4Vk
— Aftermarket Pulse (@Aftermrktpulse) March 13, 2018
Not your everyday truck 🚚 The hyper-efficient #ShellStarship is on a coast-to-coast journey across the US demonstrating improvements in fuel economy for class 8 trucks while lowering CO2 emissions. https://t.co/9gVIsXj154 pic.twitter.com/KcrwLCIozw
— Shell (@Shell) May 21, 2018
It's time to think differently about freight ton efficiency. To learn more, visit https://t.co/EnS48N7lq7. #ShellStarship #DrivingInnovation pic.twitter.com/cSdMxc5WIy
— Shell Rotella (@ShellRotella) January 16, 2020
#ShellStarship #Shell #shellrotella #shellrimula pic.twitter.com/LgVqq2elqW
— gagandeep singh (@chottenawab) June 5, 2018
Did you know if all trucks in the U.S. reached the overall fuel economy and freight ton efficiency performance of Starship, CO2 emissions from the U.S. truck fleet would be reduced by 60 percent. You think that's good? Just wait for #ShellStarship 2020. pic.twitter.com/9I0EjtTL8U
— Shell Rotella (@ShellRotella) February 21, 2020
Shell Starship truck concluded its 2,300-mile cross-country trip https://t.co/NM2fGDYI0X #ShellStarship #trucking pic.twitter.com/Z4ec5NNzBG
— FleetOwner (@fleetowner) June 10, 2018