CASE STUDY: Activating road racing royalty for Metzeler tyres

As the Motorcycle PR agency managing Metzeler’s (part of the Pirelli group) global social media account, Holeshot PR was tasked with showcasing and driving engagement for the launch of the new Metzeler Sportec 01 RS tyres.To prove the tyre’s performance credentials, we helped organise and crucially film not one, but two ‘special laps’ leveraging two of the most iconic events in Road Racing.

Instead of a traditional static product placement or road test, we utilised two events with a strong Metzeler heritage: The Northwest 200 and Isle of Man TT.

Pirelli-Metzeler UK commissioned a stunning paint-schemed Honda Fireblade running the new tyre and emblazoned with its branding and a plan was hatched with Honda UK and the two event organisers themselves.

Come the time of both events- complications, incidents and bad weather meant they were running behind schedule with narrow ‘launch’ windows. Luckily, both riders; Dean Harrison for the NW200 and 23 time TT winner John McGuinness for the Isle of Man shoot, were ‘up for it!’ With seconds to spare, both laps went out to the joy of the onsite fans and the relief of ourselves!

A storyboarded narrative, willing ‘pilots’, on track tension and some superb onboard and helicopter shots made for two raw and engaging videos of these two racing heroes breaking from their schedule to ride (very quickly!) these legendary pieces of tarmac on standard traded road going tyres.

The result: Highly shareable and collaboratively published Sportec 01 RS emblazoned videos which to date have reached an incredible three million viewers.