Porsche leverages Hollywood star power in Taycan effort

February 10, 2022

Tom Holland toured Porsche headquarters. Image credit: Porsche

German automaker Porsche has turned to a superhero to share behind-the-scenes footage of the process of getting an electric sports car.

The new brand video stars British actor Tom Holland, best known for his role as Peter Parker in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As the Spider-Man star gets acquainted with his new Taycan electric vehicle, a new consumer segment learns about Porsche.

“Tom Holland is a good fit for Porsche because he is the next generation’s action star,” said Julie Blackley, communications manager at iSeeCars, Boston.

“He helps Porsche appeal to a younger audience while still capturing the essence of the brand’s sophisticated persona.”

Inside track
The video, shared on Porsche’s social media pages, is narrated by the actor. His journey begins in Stuttgart, the home of Porsche's headquarters.

Mr. Holland explains that he is visiting the Porsche headquarters to pick out his new Taycan. He also adds that he has been a fan of the automaker for many years but has yet to drive a Porsche.

Happy to welcome you home, @TomHolland1996 pic.twitter.com/j2dod6x4Yp
— Porsche (@Porsche) February 7, 2022

Porsche welcomed Tom Holland to its headquarters to learn about the Taycan

B-roll shows the actor sitting down with Porsche representatives, inspecting models and reviewing customization options.

His next stop is the Porsche Experience Center in Hockenheimring, Germany.

Sitting in the driver’s seat of a black Taycan, Mr. Holland says to the camera that he has never driven on a racetrack either. Within seconds, he is accelerating down the course, with the G-forces pushing him into his seat.

“My mom would kill me if she could see me do that,” Mr. Holland says of his high-speed driving.

“This is the best car ever made,” he adds, speaking to the camera person in the backseat.

Back home in the United Kingdom, Mr. Holland arrives at Porsche Cars Great Britain in Reading for delivery of his Taycan. The EV is dramatically unveiled, and he hollers in excitement.

With a big grin on his face, Mr. Holland looks at every detail with appreciation and films the Taycan with his smartphone as any new Porsche owner would.

The spot ends with the movie star driving the black matte Taycan home.

When Mr. Holland originally visited the Porsche Experience Center in fall 2021, he shared a video of the weekend on his own Instagram page. The behind-the-scenes footage also showed the actor’s brothers, father and grandfather going for their own test drives around the racetrack.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tom Holland (@tomholland2013)

Tom Holland shared his experience with Porsche last year

Hollywood connections
Porsche has notable relationships with several actors and celebrities, particularly those who are passionate about race car driving.

In 2019, the automaker introduced a YouTube documentary series following German-born actor Michael Fassbender in the pursuit of his goal of racing at Le Mans (see story). The third season of “Road to Le Mans” wrapped in December 2021.

Porsche also has a longstanding relationship with the American actor Patrick Dempsey. He has been part of Porsche’s motorsport team since 2013.

As part of Porsche’s 919 tribute tour in 2018, Mr. Dempsey appeared in a short film. With a humorous and adventurous take on a night at the opera, Porsche showed the uniqueness of its vehicles as well as its appreciation for cultural heritage (see story).

By enlisting a young and bankable Hollywood star for this effort, Porsche is looking to the next generation in more ways than one.

“This is an effective campaign for Porsche because the electric Taycan represents the brand’s future,” Ms. Blackley said. “Tom Holland admits that he hasn’t ever driven on a race track, and isn’t used to driving sports cars.

“The all-electric Taycan isn’t your typical sports car and appeals to drivers who want both a high-performance and a zero-emission vehicle,” she said. “It shows that you don’t have to be a track-ready driver to enjoy a Porsche.”

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