Multiple years. One unsolvable problem.

Build brand preference for a product that most people believe is completely interchangeable.

THE CHALLENGE

Fuel is the ultimate commodity category. Price, convenience, and proximity drive the purchase decision. Drivers wait until the tank is empty and take the easiest right into the closest station. Where someone chooses to fuel up is largely driven by price, convenience, and safety. The brand name is rarely a factor. Couple this with the fact that the process of filling up hasn't meaningfully changed in fifty years, it is easy to understand why no brand has cracked loyalty at the pump. Sunoco has one genuine asset that most fuel brands don't: they are the official fuel of motorsports. NASCAR. IndyCar. NHRA, and so many more. Most official sponsorships are simply a way for a brand to pay for exclusivity, but Sunoco fuel powers the world's top drivers to victory. It is hard to come by a stronger product and brand endorsement than that, but true success was finding the most impactful ways to ensure that truth is impossible to ignore.

THE SOLUTION

Three strategic moves, executed over seven years, each building on the last.

A bottle of Sunoco-branded scent next to its packaging with the label \"Burnt Rubber\" and the tagline \"The Essence of Racing,\" set against a dark background with subtle reflections.

FIRST

Lean into the sensory reality of racing in a way that no competitor could credibly claim. NASCAR fans are three times more likely to purchase from brands involved in racing, making them the most brand-loyal consumer base in the country. But sponsorship clutter is real, and most brands mail in their sponsorship activations. What if Sunoco leaned into it? Sunoco is literally the essence of racing, so we bottled it.

A picture of a GQ article highlighting the new Sunoco burnt rubber cologne, placed on a motorsport track surface, with a blurred racetrack in the background.
Black and white advertisement featuring three models, two men and one woman. The first man is wearing a tuxedo, the second man has a short hairstyle and casual clothing, and the woman is wearing a dress and holding a luggage. Each has an image of a Sunoco Burnt Rubber perfume bottle at the bottom with the caption 'Burnt Rubber: The Essence of Racing'.
A website displayed on an iMac and iPhone, featuring a black-and-white photo of a man in a tuxedo with a bow tie, with a quote beside him.
Set of three white toy boomboxes with black and gray details against a black background.

SECOND

Extend the essence beyond a coveted fragrance. When you ask racing fans why they love it, they will tell you that it is a five-sensory experience, and that race day is a symphony of sound like no other. So we captured all of the raw materials and invited the world to create their own symphony of sound. Same drivers, new discovered talents, and first of its kind fan experience at the world center of racing in Daytona.

Black and white advertisement featuring a man in formal attire conducting an orchestra, with the text "Every race is a symphony. Be the conductor." and instructions to tap on characters to hear sounds, and logos for Sunoco and app store download options.

THIRD

Make it faster and easier to get gas, and get on your way. Filling up is slow, complicated, and unchanged for half a century. I worked with Sunoco's innovation team to design and launch an app that made it faster. As a matter of fact, it is officially the fastest way to fuel your car, full stop.

RESULTS

Establishing brand preference and delivering growth.

→ Consistent fuel margin increase over the same period (from 7 cents per gallon to 10.1 cents per gallon) despite consistent price volatility

→ Steady increase in gallons sold over a 5-year period (from 1.9 Billion to 8.2 Billion)

→ AAF National Gold - Best Integrated Advertising Campaign

→  2 Silver Clio Sports - Best Use of Sponsorships and Endorsements

→ Guinness Book of World Records - Most cars fueled in one hour via the Sunoco App

→ NASCAR Brand Marketer of the Year