Going Bangers and Mash for History
A breezy afternoon on a Sunday in March and the setting is the Wimbledon Stadium for Greyhound and Banger Racing, South London. Throw six national journalists into the mix, each with their own personalised Banger car, a team of Banger Boys, and we’ve got the perfect recipe for a Banger Racing day out!
For those not in the know, Banger Racing is the ‘sport’ whereby drivers of bashed-up vehicles duel in the most spectacular of destruction derbies. And Banger Boys is the brand new series from History that follows the Dreamers, a Sussex-based racing team, providing a unique insight into the world of banger racing in the UK. With spectacular car stunts, high octane action and on-screen destruction, when boss Steve and his team of Banger Boys get behind the wheel, their aim is to smash the opposition and win at whatever cost.
When an early press meeting with Orion TV, the production company also behind Channel 4′s hit series Mother Truckers, threw up the idea of a journalist experiential day, it was clear that a day of banger racing would be the perfect way to showcase to the press what our amazing series had to offer. Several weeks in the planning, which included organising insurance, guests, hospitality and personalising a set of cars for our journalists (each with their publication logo) our fearless guests arrived ready for action.
The Banger cars are windowless and usually go up to around 80mph around the track (although our amateurs knocked up to around 50mph on the day). They bash into each other, stall, spin and make the most ear-deafening screeching sound. The main instruction I take away from the briefing is that our drivers are not to get out of their cars at any cost while the race was on! Now I’m starting to get worried…
Our party consists of five men, and one fearless woman (kudos goes to Emma Bullimore from TV Times for doing it for the girls!), and after a further briefing, helmets, protective clothing, strapping into the cars, filling out forms and practice drive around the pits, our journalists are ready. I head off to the side of the track to view the ensuing race with endless permutations of crisis comms scenarios going round in my head!
Twenty five anxious minutes later, and the race is over (and everyone is fine!). Simon Boyle from Daily Mirror has no wheel on the left hand side of his car and Colin Robertson from The Sun, despite being declared the winner, has endured a terrifying few minutes in the middle of the track with a cut-out engine and the other banger cars screaming past him. Our drivers are triumphant.
Pumped full of adrenaline and high to the eyeballs on their experience, our intrepid journalists who also include David ‘The Rocket’ Stephenson from Sunday Express, What’s On TV’s Nick Cannon and Zoo’s very own roadrunner Phil Tottman, bundle into the hospitality suite to be greeted by loved ones and share their stories.
A successful day was had by all, and what else to end the day with but a plate of bangers and mash, of course!
EE British Academy Film Awards
Photo Credit: BAFTA/Marc Hoberman
Premier devised and executed BAFTA and/or Academy Award® campaigns for many of the season’s high profile titles including LINCOLN, LES MISÉRABLES, LIFE OF PI, BRAVE and SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK. Over the BAFTA weekend in London Premier also worked with many of the attending talent and produced ancillary events.
Premier trailer and TV campaign for Arbitrage hits UK cinema audiences
Premier is delighted to have produced the cinema trailer and TV spots for the UK release of Arbitrage for distributor Koch Media.
Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters
Premier’s Creative team was commissioned by Paramount Pictures to film TV press interviews to support the release of Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, which has topped US box offices and is now playing in cinemas across the UK.
To find out more about the film, click here.
Premier’s Special Projects team win at the IVCA Awards with a Cannes project
Premier’s Special Projects and Creative teams were awarded highly commended for their work on the UK Film Centre at Cannes Film Festival 2012 at the IVCA Livecom Awards 2013 for live event and experiential marketing projects achieving national and international profile.
Premier’s Special Projects and Creative teams were awarded highly commended for their work for the production and marketing of the UK Film Centre at Cannes Film Festival 2012 in two categories, International Campaigns and International Seminars and Conferences categories. The UK Film Centre at Cannes promotes the UK film industry and filmmakers at the biggest international event on the film calendar, the Cannes Film Festival and is supported by public sector and commercial partners, led by the British Film Institute.
To find out more about any of these projects or what we can do to help your business, please call us or drop in to say ‘hello’.
