PETROL was tasked to establish a new set of product creative and communications for WD’s high-performance product, WD Black. This product represents cutting-edge technology in the space, as a breakthrough, one-of-a-kind offering from the most trusted name in storage. For WD Black, a performance drive that distinguishes itself as combining large capacity with premium speed, how can we appeal to the youth and gaming culture, while also staying high-end and current?

PETROL’s approach was to produce visuals and branded creative as powerful as the product itself. The goal was to establish an emotional connection between WD’s customers and the WD Black drive through relatable creative that made consumers feel as though they cannot live without this product. By designing a Formula One car made out of hard drive parts, PETROL was able to establish a high-impact, unique creative device that not only stood out in the cluttered, and often mundane, hard drive/storage space, but effectively communicated the capabilities and functional aspects of the drive, while also executing and accomplishing the goal of establishing creative that would continuously resonate with consumers.

The new creative effectively established a new/unique identity for not only the WD Black product, but created unprecedented awareness around WD as a company. More importantly, it allowed the WD Black drive to standout in a space that had not previously seen such innovative creative to represent storage products. The car was produced as a realistic, life size item that WD could showcase at tradeshows and events. The creative, which lived across multiple media and in many executions, stood out as different from the pack and effectively differentiated WD Black and the WD brand in the mind of consumers.