Porsche Honors Pedro Rodríguez, Mexican Racing Legend, 50 Years After His Last Race

Pedro Rodríguez, the famed Mexican Grand Prix motor racing driver, was one of a kind. He brought many triumphs to the Porsche name, and to his own—becoming one of Latin America’s most beloved drivers before his untimely death in a crash in 1971 at age 31.

To commemorate his legacy on the 50th anniversary of his death, Porsche has built a one-of-a-kind custom 911 that is modeled after the Porsche 917 that Rodríguez used to drive. As part of the campaign, ad agency The Community tells Pedro’s story in a spot that combines historical footage of his racing career with cartoon animation—to engage younger audiences while honoring the legend.

“Pedro Rodríguez continues to be the Latin American driver who has given Porsche the most triumphs and joy,” said George Wills, president and CEO of Porsche Latin America. “With this unique car in the world we want to pay tribute to a unique, irreplaceable driver, an idol of the past and a legend of today.”

See the 60-second film here:

The decision to use animation was as much a practical one as a stylistic one.

“When we looked into Pedro Rodríguez’s life, we discovered many noteworthy moments. But they only existed in books and paper articles from that time, and there was little footage,” says Rodrigo Gonzalez, associate idea director. “In the beginning, we viewed this as an obstacle but then realized it adds to his legend even more.”

He adds: “There are fables, stories, whispers, anecdotes from bystanders who saw him; so, we started to visualize these episodes of his life and fill in the gaps with animation and cartoons. Pedro Rodríguez’s legend has been passed by word of mouth for decades, and that makes his victories even more legendary.”

The use of animation helped bring a modern take to a historical story.

“The animation helps to bring his legacy back to life in a contemporary way, making it more interesting and appealing for those who are not [life-long] racing fans,” says Gonzalez.

“We aimed to tell his story in an unexpected and contemporary way,” Ricky Vior, executive ideas director at The Community. “Pedro’s story behind the wheel of his Porsche was already memorable, so it needed to be told memorably.”
 
See the Spanish version of the spot below:

CREDITS

CLIENT
Porsche Latin America
One of A Kind “Pedro Rodriguez”
Jan Kupen, Marketing Director – PLA
Barbara Scarabello – Marketing Manager – PLA
Pablo del Río Marketing Director – PdM
Cynthia Menendez – Marketing Manager – PdM

the community
Global CCO, Founder: Jose Molla
Global CCO, Founder: Joaquin Molla
Executive Creative Director: Ricky Vior 
Associate Creative Director: Gabriel Da Silva
Associate Creative Director: Rodrigo González
Content Creator Lead: Rosario Avila
EVP, Head of Integrated Production: Laurie Malaga
Maker/s (Producers)
Debi Rubiani, Executive. Producer
Juan Manuel Sosa, Sr. Production Lead
Account Team
Julieta Rey, VP, Managing Director Latam
Sandra Giraldo, Brand Lead Regional Latam
Barbara Palacio, Brand Supervisor
Julia Isabel Hernandez, Brand Supervisor
Connections Strategy: Sebastian Ibarra
Digital Content Director: Monica Godoy
Brand Strategy Director: Alessandra Noceda 
Brand Strategy Planner: Alejandra Margain
Business Affairs
Natalie Greenman, Business Affairs Director
Priscila Hourihan, Business Manager
Production Assistant: Aldana Beade
Studio Designer: Sergio Skarek

MAKERS LAB
Sound Engineer: Paolo Urquidi
Sr. Pos Production Manager: Sharon Campos

PRODUCTION COMPANY
Production Company: Clubcamping
Creative Director: Mariano Fernández Russo
Art Director: Juan Barabani
Executive Producers: Ana Sieglitz & Juliana Millán
Line Producer: Carolina Cantero

ANIMATION COMPANY
Company: Clubcamping
Animation Director: Mariano Fernández Russo
Art Director: Juan Barabani
2D Artists: Alan Mohamed, Ana Artaza, Clara Riavec, Daniela Donato, Emmanuel Zampolo, Fernando Lamattina, Franco Pelliciaro, Gabriela Bosco, Julieta Culaciatti, Katherine Pryor, Pablo Rago, Penblade, Rafael Pires, Sofia Diaz, Victoria Farelli
Online Editor: Yago López & Luciano Robba
VFX Executive Producers: Ana Sieglitz & Juliana Millán
VFX Line Producer: Carolina Cantero

SOUND DESIGN
Sound Design Company: Aumeta
Sound Designer: Tim Harrison & Seb Bruen
Audio assistant: Pär Carlsson

PHOTOGRAPHER / ILLUSTRATOR
Photographer: Richard Monning