The Ford Mustang was built in Detroit, introduced to the world in New York and, according to a new display on the border between downtown and Boyle Heights, romanticized by Los Angeles.
Part advertisement, part history lesson and part playground, “American Icon: A Mustang Immersive Experience” uses theme park-inspired elements to celebrate a work of mechanical art. The car, first introduced in 1964 at the New York World's Fair as a sporty, compact coup with just a bit of edge, gets the hero treatment. Inside the warehouse-like Ace Mission Studios, “American Icon” follows the evolution of the Mustang from the suburban garage to the race track, and uses projections and a 4D theatrical experience to transform what could have been a showroom experience into something built more for a video game.
With facilities centered around the fabled “freedom” of open, traffic-free roads that automakers so often like to tout, there's something curiously old-fashioned here. The Mustang is pitched as a car for young couples on the move, optimistically imagining an America where owning a house and a car was a given.
Visitors watch an immersive 4D short film.
(Ronaldo Bolaños/Los Angeles Times)
The seats inside a 4D theater vibrate and feature water and aroma effects.
(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
In that sense, it's a car enthusiast's fantasy. But can it inspire a new generation of car dreamers, especially at a time when some data indicates that younger audiences may be putting off buying a car?
While there are no cars for sale at “American Icon” (there are a variety of Mustang-branded products especially, however, many of them nostalgically focused on 1964), such an immersive effort makes sense, says researcher Jason Jordhamo, director of marketing for S&P Global Mobility's Polk Automotive Solutions. Engaging audiences today, he says, involves a more personal touch than a big investment in television advertising or a sponsorship deal.
“It's less time at the dealership,” Jordhamo says of reaching younger consumers, especially Generation Z. “You have to let go of those traditional things.”
Jordhamo points out that new vehicle registrations among people between 18 and 34 years old have fallen by approximately 2% in recent years. Anecdotally, he cites a multitude of factors, ranging from growing environmental awareness (hybrid and electric vehicles are popular in the age group) to the ease of ride-sharing, especially in big cities.
But there are other reasons for concern. “There are a lot of things that are challenging in that space,” Jordhamo says. “One is affordability, which is huge. The cost of purchasing a vehicle (monthly costs) has increased 30% since the beginning of this decade. And the average loan payment nationally has been more than $750 for the entire calendar year.”
With the interactive “Pick Your Pony” feature, visitors can hear different sounds from the Mustang's engine.
(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
Immersive experiences, which typically denote some level of participation on the part of the guest or attempt to envelop the attendee in all-encompassing imagery, are common in Hollywood and are often seen as a way to reach a younger consumer no longer interested in interactive entertainment. Studios like Netflix have used them extensively for pop-ups themed to “Arcane,” “Squid Game” and more, but brands and personalities as varied as the Catholic Church, McDonald's and even Mariah Carey have gotten in on the experiential action. Automotive companies have also dabbled, either by partnering with video game franchises like “Gran Turismo” or “Rocket League” or, as Ford already does, offering real-life experiences like driving a Bronco off-road in various locations across the United States.
“It's more than just steel and rubber,” says Ford communications director Mike Levine, when asked why Mustang was considered to have such an experience. “Mustang's impact on America should be appreciated as an art exhibit.”
Sitting in front of a powder blue 1965 Mustang on a turntable, the exhibit's first main room comes to life to simulate movement as the four surrounding walls use projections to place us in idealized versions of Venice Beach and Route 66. The shimmering beat of Martha and the Vandellas' “Nowhere to Run” sets the tone as visions of the innocence of cruise culture are meant to make us feel like we're on a ride through the South California. The only thing missing to complete the atmosphere is for someone to bring us a smoothie.
Several generations of Mustangs are projected behind a real vehicle.
(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
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Levine says Los Angeles, rather than Detroit, was chosen as the first of many planned stops for “American Icon” in part because of the city's iconography, pointing to historic routes like the Pacific Coast and Angeles Crest Highways as scenic backdrops for our automobile-centric culture. While experiential marketing has been all the rage in recent years, Levine says this is the first facility of its kind for Ford.
“So far, so good,” said Enzo Sánchez, 22, when asked recently if he was enjoying “American Icon,” which culminates in a 4D theatrical experience that serves as a mini motion simulator. Expect a drop of water to splash on you as the smell of burning rubber fills the room. The mini-movie, about five minutes long, shows Mustang drivers saving a post-apocalyptic world from a rogue AI. “Terminator”, but if the Mustangs came to the rescue.
Sanchez, named after famous racer and businessman Enzo Ferrari, comes from a family of car enthusiasts. His father pointed to a wall dedicated to the Mustang's appearances in popular culture, highlighting a framed portrait of the Johnny Mathis LP “Those Were the Days,” which features the car, and said he would have to track down a copy.
“It just transports you,” Sanchez says of his love for the Mustang, adding that he first encountered the “American Icon” on a recent trip to Mid Wilshire's Petersen Automotive Museum, which helped curate the exhibit. Sanchez noticed that one of his famous 1967 Mustangs, the so-called “Eleanor” from “Gone in 60 Seconds,” was missing, and when Sanchez inquired about its whereabouts, he was told it would appear in “American Icon.” The vehicle shares space with Mustangs from “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Kick-Ass” and “Transformers” in the exhibit.
“American Icon: An Immersive Mustang Experience”
The Mustang, says Ford's Levine, has been among the most popular vehicles in the movies, adding that “Gone in 60 Seconds” showcases the car as much as it does the city of Los Angeles. He's also seen the headlines proclaiming that Generation Z is moving away from car ownership. For now, he says, he's not worried.
“I heard the same thing about millennials, that they weren't going to buy cars,” he says. “As a parent of two Gen Z kids, they love cars. Their friends have cars. They want something they can enjoy.”
A rotating platform and video projections make it look like a Ford Mustang is driving down a highway.
(Ronaldo Bolaños/Los Angeles Times)
And as Ford goes with “American Icon,” they want something they can experience.
“This is a different way to reach a Gen Z customer who is looking for or has seen engaging content online,” he says. “And when you go into that experience, it's really all the senses. When you take the 4D trip, it's all the senses. You smell it. You feel it. You hear it. You see it. And when you're immersed in that level, you hang up the phone.”
And that, of course, is an essential rule to enjoy the road.
