Scion Gives Three Young Creatives One Shot to 'Reinvent The Wheels'

LOS ANGELES, March 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Scion, the automotive brand known for distinctive design and marketing innovation, today announced the debut of "Reinvent The Wheels," a new six part web-exclusive video series that challenges creative thinkers to push the boundaries of car customization and self-expression in a competition to build a car that best furthers their creative passion.

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The "Reinvent The Wheels" experience offers three aspiring creatives the opportunity to work with professional garages and compete to see who can come up with the most original, inspiring and practical car possible.  Contestants are given a budget and paired with a team of professional tuners to design and build a car that brings their artistic and ground-breaking visions to life.  The winning team's stand-out contestant will win a Scion car, accessories, a $30,000 cash prize and a one-of-a-kind opportunity to help them achieve their career goals by gaining valuable exposure and mentorship.

"Embracing the youth community and inviting them to participate in the creative process has always been part of Scion's DNA," says Jack Hollis, vice president, Scion. "This unique campaign allows us to showcase the compelling stories of three emerging artists as they transform a car with limited time and resources."

Audiences can tune into the series via their mobile phones, online and through popular social networking sites such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter to watch these young and talented contestants partner up with a team of professional builders and a mentor to guide them through their creative process.  

"Reinvent the Wheels" premieres on March 29 at 9 p.m. EDT/ 6 p.m. PDT, at www.ReinventtheWheels.com, or viewers can embed the widget to enjoy the show on any site, on Facebook, or on mobile devices.

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THE CAST

Meet the cast behind the groundbreaking show.  The six contestants were chosen for their passion and determination in their respective fields:

• Anthony Valadez, an ex U.S. Marine and full-time DJ from North Hollywood, California
• Stuart Arbury, an aspiring filmmaker from Maryland who came out West to live the dream
• Christine Daniels, a resilient pastry chef hailing from Santa Maria, California
• Samantha Ashcraft, a San Fernando Valley, California native with a passion for makeup and special effects
• Karen Beck, a passionate DJ from New Castle, Pennsylvania who began spinning at a Los Angeles comedy club
• Micah Moss, an up-and-coming actor and filmmaker, originally from the Redwoods of Oregon

 

The series is hosted by charismatic Angie Greenup, best known for her work on E!, Fearnet and Spike TV.  Angie will provide much needed humor during the intense competition.  Los Angeles tattoo artist ZULU will serve as mentor to the contestants. His mission is to inspire and push these up-and-coming artists to the edge.  Next up are the judges who are luminaries in their respective fields and will provide their professional wisdom to the competition. They include:  

• Damon Elliott, famed music producer to some of the hottest female artists of the past 15 years, including Pink, Christina Aguilera, and Gwen Stefani. He has received seven Grammy nominations, with one win for a hit on the 'Moulin Rouge' soundtrack.
• Jennifer Egan, Gen Art's vice president of national business development, who has served as a fashion critic and A-list style expert in many online, print and broadcast segments.
• Patrick Janicke, the renowned graphic artist behind the vehicle designs for films such as Speed Racer, Blade, and Godzilla.

 

Finally, the three tuners, or automotive design experts behind the show, will provide assistance to the contestants.  The tuners are:

• Gary Castillo, whose dedication to customizing cars brought his company up from being in the garage of his condo to an award-winning shop. Gary doesn't just stop at building cars; he also tricks out bikes, boats and even planes.
• Michael Vu, an award-winning car builder with over 15 years in the business customizing vehicles, he is responsible for some of the most head-turning designs to be seen on a car.
• Leigh Guarnieri has been customizing cars since he was ten years old. His shop is known for building some of the most original and provocative auto-design kits on the market.

 

For pictures, bios and additional details, click here.

About Scion

Scion, from Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., was developed with a new generation of youthful buyers in mind.  Scion's mission is to provide distinctive products, the opportunity to personalize, and an innovative, consumer-driven process at the retail level.  The Scion brand features three ground-breaking models with a wide array of standard features: the xD urban subcompact five-door, the iconic xB urban utility vehicle, and the tC sports coupe.  The brand often applies new practices in all aspects of its business and pushes the creativity envelope with non-traditional advertising and marketing to engage young consumers. For more information, visit www.scion.com.

SOURCE Scion