FIA ETRC set to continue highlighting truck driver deficit across Europe through #onetruckfamily campaign
Continuing the momentum already attained since the #onetruckfamily campaign was first launched last year, the FIA European Truck Racing Championship will continue its efforts in promoting some of the key challenges in the truck and haulage transportation industries.
The #onetruckfamily initiative aims to emotionalise and transfer the positive image of truck racing and its drivers to the road, at the same time celebrating the importance and the professionalism shown by those working in the industry.
The 2019 media review showed that the FIA European Truck Racing Championship provides an ideal platform to emotionalise brand messages and create a strong brand attachment with the consumer.
192 Million people engaged with the series on social media, and in its first year 52.200 people from the truck racing community embraced the #onetruckfamily campaign.
“What we have learned last year is that there is a huge appetite for truck culture and a real enthusiasm and understanding in how important the industry is for society overall,” said ETRA director Georg Fuchs. “The #onetruckfamily campaign is our answer and contribution to one of the biggest challenges of the industry - the driver shortage issue.
“We want to enhance the prospects through expressing how varied and cool such a profession as the truck industry is. Emotions are needed for that purpose, and the FIA ETRC-platform is the best way to naturally create and deliver these emotions.”
To celebrate the truck driving vocation and highlight how important their work is to society and industry throughout Europe, the FIA ETRC hosted several #onetruckfamily events last year, where in collaboration with Goodyear, IVECO, Grammer, Mercedes and SWL a selection of truck drivers from all walks of life were invited to the races.
The so called Road Heroes were given insights into the FIA ETRC paddock, race control and media centre, as well as being a featured part of the pre-race grid ceremonies. They were introduced to the crowd, interviewed about their work and how they are appreciated by the public at large.
Ahead of the race at the Hungaroring, near Budapest in June, the V4 Logistics Forum was held discussing the current challenges faced by the trucking industry. The forum reached for the goal of creating platforms where logistic professionals and participating countries could conduct dialogues about the industry’s technological advances, latest trends, challenges and its future.
To celebrate the significant contribution of the industries professional female talent, seven of Germany’s most engaged and dedicated women truck drivers were specially invited to the race at the Nürburgring in July. The event was intertwined by several key events at the ADAC Grand Prix which ranged from industry forums and symposium events to business-to-business get-togethers and new product launches.
The consistent thread running throughout conversations last year was, that the Road Heroes were “proud” and “motivated” to represent their vocations, but that the challenges for future generations of drivers were “uncertain” and “challenging”.
“The experience of coming to a race is a pleasurable one for them, but it also showcases that whether there are heroes on the track or on the road, the passion and honour is the same.
“To see the Road Heroes get their moment in the spotlight at the races was great because as a sport and business we feel that there should be greater recognition for the professionalism and dedication that they display day-in and day-out across the roads of Europe.”
“At the FIA ETRC we believe that the truck industry can further promote itself into being an attractive, interesting and rewarding profession for future generations, and through #onetruckfamily this can be communicated in an educational, emotional and entertaining way.”