Ahead of the fourth season premiere of “Snowfall,” a crime drama set in 1980s Los Angeles during the first crack cocaine epidemic, FX activated an experiential drive-thru car wash that would provide consumers with a useful service while driving tune-in among new and existing viewers.
Held over the weekend, Feb. 19-21, at the real-life NCM Car Wash, the Snowfall Neighborhood Car Wash, was free for consumers who registered via EventBrite. The program included a full branding takeover of all the business signage along the roadway, transformation of the interior car wash tunnel with lights, music and effects that brought the series setting to life, a digital extension and local radio partnership. Series actor Amin Joseph made an appearance at the live event as well. The premiere episode aired on Feb. 24.
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The drive-thru car wash was an “opportunity to be separate, yet together,” says Kenya Hardaway Green, senior vp-integrated promotions at FX.
“This experience was our first IRL consumer engagement since the pandemic hit,” she says. “We identified the car wash as a place that not only offered an amazing service, but it also came with an existing infrastructure that did the heavy lifting.”
The setting of the activation was inspired by the series, which revolves around a group of characters and local businesses and the impact the crack cocaine epidemic had on the culture of the city. And since real-life local businesses have faced their share of struggles this year amid the pandemic, FX added a cause-marketing layer to the program. The brand partnered with the Official Black Wall Street to promote the event and draw attention to 10 Black-owned businesses in the L.A. area as well as promoting the businesses on local radio station KJLH ahead of the car wash event during the station’s Black Business Friday segment.
“Especially in these times, highlighting these resources and bringing focus to the establishments that have invested in the neighborhood is so important,” Hardaway Green says. Agency: CSM Sport & Entertainment; Wide Angle Group (production partner).
INSIDE THE ‘SNOWFALL’ DRIVE-THRU CAR WASH
