The summer may be officially over, but domestic tourism is bound by no one season. The Philippine Islands, as we all know, is a bottomless treasure of unique travel experiences—you need not search for the end of the rainbow to appreciate how rich we are in amazing places and culture.
Having said that, Pilipinas Shell, in celebration of its 100 years in our country (1914-2014), has decided to launch a campaign to search for the 10 most exciting drives in the Philippines. Among Shell’s latest technological innovations are its Shell V-Power Nitro+ fuels, and these are high-performance products that are perfect for fueling long, exhilarating drives.
“As we continue to celebrate 100 years of Shell Companies in the country, we constantly strive to provide quality products like Shell V-Power Nitro+, our fast-acting performance range of fuels, designed to boost engine performance and give Filipino motorists a unique and worthwhile experience on the road,” remarked Pilipinas Shell Vice President for retail, Oying Yam. Furthering that “We are searching for the different elements that make up an exciting drive in the Philippines, to come up with a unique formula for excitement fueled by Shell V-Power Nitro+.”
The different elements being sought are namely: route, location, ingredient, story, and any of Shell’s V-Power Nitro+ fuels. Basically, Pilipinas Shell would like to hear from the Filipino public, and identify what they think are the key ingredients in cooking up an unforgettable drive.
To kick-start the campaign, Pilipinas Shell invited members of the motoring media for a quick drive to Subic aboard a fleet of Mitsubishi Monteros and Stradas loaded up with Shell V-Power Nitro+ Diesel. The drive was an immersive way of feeling the difference in one’s journey when using Shell’s performance fuels. Shell V-Power Nitro+ Diesel is also specially formulated to help restore and maintain engine power through active engine cleaning; hence it is a premium choice of fuel to make the most out of your road trips.
Once in Subic, and through an Amazing Race-type game, the different media teams were tasked to gather clues that pointed to the unique ‘elements’ that were assigned to each group. And after collecting all the elements, we were asked to bridge them into a story, which we told through a piece of artwork.
The ongoing Shell campaign works the same way—Pilipinas Shell would like Filipinos to pitch what their formula for an exciting drive is, in the form of a photograph posted on social media (Facebook, Twitter or Instagram). The caption explaining the formula must contain the key elements: Say for example, Kennon road as the route; Baguio as the location; your music player with sing-along tunes as the ingredient; and what your choice of Shell V-Power Nitro+ fuel is. Combine these all into a story that can be told in that one photo (which need not be original, although original photos are always better) and include the hashtag #FuelExcitement to join. Do not forget to tag the media affiliation (in this case, “angelBrewrats” on twitter or “angelsrivero” on Instagram) in your post (so we can nominate your entry), and you could be accompanied by the author of this story, on your televised road trip (which is the prize of this promotion), should you be chosen as a winner.
Shell V-Power Nitro+ struck a partnership with Television Culture Shock Productions to develop the second season of the AXN TV show TEN, a delightful travel show about the Philippines, hosted by Jason Godfrey—and would like to include their lucky winners in episodes of the show.
“We created 10 exciting drives on TEN to give our customers a look at how high performing vehicles are brought to life when fueled by Shell V-Power Nitro+ Gasoline, Shell V-Power Nitro+ Diesel and Shell V-Power Nitro+ Racing,” explained Yam, of the TV collaboration. Even more, we want to give them a chance to experience the excitement for themselves with the help of our friends from the media. All they have to do is share their own formula for excitement with their favorite publications. Our media friends will share this with us, and they may just be able to be part of the show,” he added.
Among the long drives that will be featured in the next season of TEN (scheduled to air in September) on AXN are: Ifugao to Kalinga; Marinduque; Puerto Princesa and Davao.
“As we go around some of the country’s most beautiful and unique destinations, we take in the breathtaking sights and exceptional drives that our customers can experience, no matter where they are, what vehicle they decide to drive, and whom they choose to experience the journey with them. Through this partnership, we show our motorists the different formulas that make up exciting drives that one can discover around the Philippines.” exclaimed Yam.
The search for the 10 most exhilarating drives is a great way for the modern Filipino (and tourists) to revisit our unique landscapes, changing environments and diverse culture. With the help of Shell V-Power Nitro+ fuels, and the company’s thrust to provide cleaner energy and smarter infrastructure to promote smarter use, the challenges of our increasing energy demand need not call for sacrifices in travel and exploration. I’ve always believed that the only catalyst necessary for adventure, is the desire to have it. Let us rediscover the wonders of traveling the Philippines, together!