Subaru collaborates with musician Harts to launch W-Wah-X in new campaign via Disciple

Subaru Australia has collaborated with homegrown musician, Harts, to launch the new WRX via Sydney creative agency, Disciple.

Aptly named W-Wah-X, the campaign sees the WRX’s accelerator pedal replaced with an iconic Wah guitar effects pedal; the result being a live music performance, with the WRX being both driven and used as an instrument simultaneously.

WATCH THE FILM

Disciple, Subaru’s creative agency, created the unique concept when tasked to broaden the appeal of the WRX and take it to a new audience, while still keeping the iconic attitude Subaru purists love.

Says Alan Wilson, copywriter at Disciple: “The Wah pedal has created some of the most distinctive riffs, solos and ‘wacka wacka’ moments over the past 40 years.

“Many legendary guitarists have performed with it on stage, and with the WRX being a legendary performer on the road, it became the perfect match.”

When it came to finding the right guitarist, Australian musician, Harts, was the obvious choice. Described by Rolling Stones Magazine as, “A supernaturally talented young buck who’s mastered Hendrix’s blistering guitar”, Harts worked the fretboard while Richard Bowers, of Melbourne band Magic Bones, operated both the vehicle accelerator and Wah pedal simultaneously.

But the real star of the show was the Wah pedal.

Modified by creative technologist, James Bush, and Subaru national technical advisor, Robert Choon, the pedal controlled both the legendary WRX Boxer Engine and the ‘wah-wah’ sounds blasting out of the Marshall amp created by Harts.

Says Andrew Caie, general manager of marketing, Subaru: “This was an original project that grew out of that classic feeling of barrelling along in a great driving car with a great music track and the volume blasting.

“That’s what made it fun for the team, including Harts. Harts brought no airs and graces with him. All we had to do was throw in a few really passionate technical people, crew, musos – and a WRX of course – and away it went.

“This is a very different type of performance from an iconic car that also delivers exceptional comfort, safety and practicality.”

The campaign was directed by Peter Moore from //13&CO and will rollout nationally from November 4th. The campaign will feature a short film and will be accompanied by feature videos, social and online nationwide.

Creative Agency – Disciple

Sound Design – Andrew Stevenson