Motor Oil as Hero in New Castrol EDGE Commercial from Ogilvy

NEW YORK, May 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A hyper-realized product demonstration transforms newly reformulated Castrol EDGE motor oil into an animated super hero that flows through the toughest challenges a car engine endures to deliver on the promise that it is "Tested to Perfection."

To show the rigors that went into formulating and testing the new Castrol EDGE, the Ogilvy team in partnership with production, animation and design studio Psyop, created the ultimate test track with the purpose of pushing the performance of the oil to its limits.  The track was designed to show what happens when the oil passes through three tests -- Loop, Camshaft and Forest. The spot can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hDacvWdw-4

"Castrol EDGE is a high-tech product for this category, featuring Titanium Fluid Strength Technology that adapts to the needs of your engine and strengthens performance, no matter how you drive," explained Melanie Smith, Marketing Director.  "The new work by Ogilvy supports our legacy of innovation and gives us an opportunity to launch the first truly global effort to support the brand."

The new campaign features television, online and print elements.  It will launch in the US in April and roll out in Europe, Latin America and Asia over the next several months.

"There are a lot of spots that show performance through tough driving scenarios, but the challenge to actually show Titanium Fluid Strength Technology inspired us to make the oil itself the hero and to create a simulation of the test process of amazing scale and drama," explained Sung Chang, Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy.  His partner, Creative Director Craig Mannion added that "The intention was to approach the design of the track in the same manner in which Castrol Engineers create Castrol Edge - with the sole purpose to push the oil to its limits."

Ogilvy turned to digital animation and film specialists at Psyop to bring their vision of the ultimate test track to life.  Psyop's team under creative directors Eben Mears, Anh Vu and technical director Tony Barbieri wanted to make the track look realistic while having to animate the main character – the motor oil.

In explaining the process, Psyop Creative Director Eben Mears said, "We took the direction of total reality, in terms of shooting film and made everything appear real and possible, and blended in a hint of sci-fi to break the literal constraints of imagination. It felt a bit like a video game, where challenges arise and obstacles pop up, but it was vital that everything appear on first glance as if in a real, possible environment."

About Castrol

BP Lubricants USA Inc. markets premium lubricants and business–building programs directly to independent lube operators, service providers, new car dealers and leading retailers. Our leadership brands include Castrol® GTX® — a premium conventional motor oil; Castrol® GTX® High–Mileage™ — designed for vehicles with over 75,000 miles; Castrol® GTX® SynBlend — with an added level of synthetic protection; Castrol® EDGE® with SYNTEC Power Technology — a full–synthetic, premium motor oil; Castrol® EDGE™ with Titanium Fluid Strength Technology - an advanced full-synthetic, our best motor oil; as well as our range of commercial transport lubricants. To find out more about Castrol products and programs, please call 1–888–CASTROL or log on to www.castrol.com/us

About Ogilvy

Ogilvy & Mather is one of the largest marketing communications companies in the world. Through its specialty units, the company provides a comprehensive range of marketing services including: advertising; public relations and public affairs; branding and identity; shopper and retail marketing; healthcare communications; direct, digital, promotion and relationship marketing. Ogilvy & Mather services Fortune Global 500 companies as well as local businesses through its network of more than 450 offices in 120 countries. It is a WPP company (NASDAQ: WPPGY).  For more information, visit www.ogilvy.com.

About Psyop

Headquartered in New York City, and now also with a studio in Venice, LA, PSYOP is an inspiring culmination of creativity, collaboration and production focused on providing visual solutions in motion for the advertising & marketing, video gaming, broadcast and music video industries.

SOURCE Ogilvy & Mather