Joe v Machine
Bold comedy. Big reach. Tiny budget.
The Results.
LinkedIn Impressions
190+ hrs
The Challenge.
White’s Oats wanted to shake up their usual brand content and, with Hyundai’s Daly’s dealership and Ultra Endurance cyclist Joe Barr to create a unique campaign on an ultra-tight budget with no fixed KPIs. A fresh, laugh-out-loud concept was needed to cut through the ordinary.
Introducing Joe, a cyclist with a McGregor-sized ego, in a parody-driven, three-part showdown against a Hyundai IONIQ 5. The campaign relied on smart storytelling, irreverent humour, and stretching every pound spent.
We created three scripted, documentary-style videos blending comedy, parody, and storytelling:
At the heart was Joe, a cyclist with a McGregor-sized ego who challenged a Hyundai IONIQ 5 to a race. The story played out in three distinct acts:
Promo Shoot Gone Wrong - Joe storms off mid-interview.
Sabotage Teaser - Joe sneaks into the dealership and unplugs the car.
Race Day - Full Top Gear energy, where the EV falls asleep, runs out of charge, and is revived with
oats.
Fun, chaos, and familiar racing parody tropes.
Promo Shoot Gone Wrong
Joe storms off mid-interview.
Sabotage Teaser
Joe sneaks into the dealership and unplugs the car.
Race Day
Full Top Gear energy: the EV falls asleep, runs out of charge, and is revived with oats.
Total spend: £350
Facebook views: 23,000+
ThruPlays: 6,956
Cost per View: 1.5p
Impressions: 54,778
Members Reached: 41,014
Video Views: 29,378
Watch time: 190.2 hrs
Why it Worked:
Departed from the brand’s usual tone with bold, funny storytelling.
Humanised the car and cyclist, viewers watched it like entertainment, not an ad.
Delivered high engagement with tight production budgets.
Cross-branded appeal made it a win for both White’s Oats and Hyundai.
Food and fitness brands with a sense of humour
Automotive dealers who want something different
Challenger brands in B2C or B2B looking to punch above their weight on social
SaaS or tech firms wanting to use characters/story over salesy scripts
