Werewolves, ghosts, flying saucers, talking dogs and Elvis
Eerie Indiana was a live-action television series that originally aired on NBC in 1991. Set in the town for which the show was named, two young friends spin around on Spyder bikes, eyeballing the weird. Elvis, alive. Bigfoot, easy-chair. UFOs, everywhere. Mummies, werewolves and acres of loyal corn.
In 1998, when I owned a small branding studio in Philadelphia, the smartest man I’ve ever met was an executive with Hearst Entertainment, the owner of the rights to Eerie. Wanting to conjure money from nothing, he decided to repackage the series for Saturday morning broadcast on FoxKids network. He asked my company to make the branding more kid-friendly. The accompanying print ad and licensing guide cover reflect our efforts.
Promotion
Multiple promotional programs were created. One program wrapped our artwork around the fuselage of an NHRA top-fuel dragster driven by Joe Amato at the Summer Nationals in Indianapolis. Hearst invited us to the event. I knew nothing about the sport or the celebrities.
The velvet rope and the golf cart
Every team has their own tractor-trailer, each housing both a meticulous mechanic’s garage and a luxury dressing room. Dozens of trailers dot a small city that fans can stroll through to meet the teams. Most trailers have a cordoned area beyond which fans can’t venture. As a sponsor, I had unlimited access and, until our arrival, I’d never heard of Joe Amato. At the time, he was the second fastest top-fuel driver of all time, guiding a missile down a 1/4 mile stretch of asphalt in 4.2 seconds. T-shirts were available featuring Joe as part of the Holy Trinity.
After a brief meet and greet, Joe asked us to hop in his golf cart for a ride over to the official’s tower — a four story building that towers over the start line. I sat next to Joe in the cart.
Humanity split like Moses parting the Red Sea. I’d never experienced anything like it. Gasps. Yelling. Whispering. Pointing. Sitting next to Joe, it felt like they were pointing at me. Surreal. Equal parts exhilarating, terrifying and intoxicating.
Sobbing
Joe was inside his dressing room meeting other sponsors after our return ride. Outside, I was watching the team rebuild and test 7000 horsepower. Ground pounding. Fight or flight. Burning fuel giving off a blinding stench.
True fans fall in love.
Next to the velvet rope, a round grey-haired woman approached me sobbing, knowing I had access. She wanted to give Joe a smooch and tell him how much joy he’d brought to her life. I went inside to get Joe, not knowing what would happen. He bounced over the velvet rope, hugged the woman and she sobbed even more. Tears of joy.
Dozens of people swarmed. I’d unleashed the Red Sea.
Standing next to Moses. Swallowed by sweet, lovable, ground-pounding fame.
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