Ad of the Day | GTB Fuels Ford's E-Sports Team, Team Fordzilla

Jun. 08, 2020

At a time when entire countries are stuck at home, the esports industry is experiencing an unprecedented boom as people seek new forms of entertainment and social connection.

During this time, Ford has continued to recruit for its gaming team, Team Fordzilla; selecting the best virtual drivers to join its team, led by captains from Germany, Italy, France, Spain and the United Kingdom.

The Team Fordzilla program was launched in 2019 at Gamescom, Europe’s largest consumer gaming event, in Cologne, Germany. From there, Team Fordzilla has continued to grow, launching in all five major European markets as a core part of Ford’s global gaming strategy and competing in major Esports competitions, such as Le Mans Esport Series 2.

In partnership with Ford, GTB has launched Racing Stories: the first virtual car race simulator using Instagram Stories. Using the interactive elements available on Stories GTB helped Ford bring gaming to everyone, directly on their smartphone.

Using footage from the Forza Motorsport 7 virtual driving simulation game, Racing Stories is the first time that Instagram Stories have been used to recreate a feeling that has only been experienced through a gamepad and console.

Federico Russo, Executive Creative Director of GTB Roma, comments:

“The project is the result of fanatical work, in which the game scenes were cut and reassembled to add Instagram stickers at the right moment of the race: accelerations, onboard camera changes, and audience applause towards the finish line. This gives users the sensation of a real gaming experience through Instagram Stories. We are proud that this project born in GTB Roma has been launched across all Europe and that it will soon be implemented globally."