Life-sized “Cars 2” characters rev up crowds on “Agents on a Mission” tour

Jim Hill

14 years ago

Jay Ward had a favor to ask of his father.

Ward – who's the guardian of the Cars franchise for Pixar
Animation Studios – had just spent months supervising the construction of those
life-sized versions of Lightning McQueen, Mater and Finn McMissile which were
to be trucked over North America as part of State Farm®'s "Agents on a Mission"
multi-city tour.

"I wanted to be there for the official kick-off of this
tour. Which was held at the Mall of America back on March 22^nd. But
then something came up at work and I wasn't able to get away for a while," Ward
remembered. "But since the second stop on the 'Agents with a Mission' tour was
near where my Dad lived … Well, I figured that I could ask him to go in my
place. Have him tell me how the event went. More importantly what people were
saying about these 'Cars 2' characters."

So Jay called his father. And Ward's Dad was happy to make
the drive down to Crown Center in Kansas City and then report back in to his
son about what sort of response this sponsored-by-State-Farm-Insurance promotional
event was getting. But when Jay finally got that phone call from his father, it
wasn't really the response that he was expecting.

"My Dad told me that he was now driving away from Crown Center and that he hadn't
actually been able to see the cars because of the 4000 other people who had turned
out that day to see these Pixar characters. Which then made it impossible for him to get
close to the cars," Ward continued. "Which was kind of disappointing. Given
that I'd really wanted my Dad to see what we'd all worked so hard on. But on
the other hand, when this huge mob of people show up for a 'Cars 2' promotional
event that you helped create … That's kind of a good problem to have."

And so far, it's been like that for every stop on the "Agents on
a Mission" tour. With people standing in hour-long lines in Kentucky, Missouri
and Ohio just so they can get the chance to see these remote-controlled
replicas of Lighting, Mater and Finn.

"Why remote-controlled?," you ask. According to Jay, it's
because of lessons that Disney, Pixar and State Farm learned from 2006's "Cars'
Road Trip" promotional tour.

"For that tour, we created gasoline-powered version of
Lightning, Mater and Sally. Which meant that – for safety reasons – we then weren't
able to display those life-sized versions of the 'Cars' characters at many indoor
venues," Ward explained. "But by using battery power this time around, we're
now able to put Lighting, Mater and Finn on display pretty much wherever we
want."

Which – to be honest – has been in some pretty impressive Cars-related
places. Like the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, the 2011 Mid-America
Trucking Show at the Kentucky Exposition Center and – just this past weekend –
the NASCAR Speedpark in Vaughn, Ontario.

And once the "Agents on a Mission" finish up their Canadian
sojourn with a stop today at the Place d'Orleans Shopping Centre, Lightning,
Mater and Finn are making their way back to the States. Where they'll first
spend April 17^th & 18^th in Philadelphia right across of
Citizens Bank Park. Which means that baseball fans coming & going from
Sunday & Monday's Phillies games will get the chance to commune with the "Cars 2"
stars.

And once Lightning, Mater and Finn wrap up their two day
stay in Philadelphia, it's off to the Big Apple. Where these "Agents on a
Mission" will be on display at the New York International Auto Show. Which is
being held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center April 22^nd – May
1st.

"I love that we were able to get the 'Cars 2' characters
into this year's New York auto show. All too often, parents take their children
to shows like this. And then – after 15 minutes – the kids are bored out of
their minds," Jay laughed. "But now they can check out Lightning, Mater and
Finn, send their friends an e-card, play a few games and maybe even pick up a
free 'Cars 2' poster."

That is – of course – if the folks attending this year's New
York International Auto Show don't encounter what Jay Ward's Dad did back in
Kansas City – so many people crowded around State Farm®'s "Agents on a
Mission" display that it's nearly impossible to see these "Cars 2" stars.

Speaking of which … If you'd like to see Lightning McQueen,
Mater and Finn McMissile as they continue on their multi-city tour, swing on by
the Disney.com/cars website. Where you'll find more information about the
other cities these "Cars 2" characters will be stopping in before this
promotional tour wraps up in June.

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