charles has invited Max Cooper to drive an Aeromax on his Gumball, starting this saturday
(think it'll be the Ass though)

link

Max is driving a C8 laviolette spyder I believe, unless plans have changed - thread on PH about it.

Still at least the man has some class as his Spyker is Orange...

check link; he ditched the Spyker

Yup the guy has taste............. Must admit, the Spyker looks fab though as well (colour notwithstanding )

Ahhh - interesting...
Mind you what what I've heard if Max says he ditched it, then it probably means they said "you were never having it in the first place" - or something, allegedly.

Personally, I don't understand the tie-in, nor do I see value the association.

The track record of the Gumball is quite poor when it comes to behaviour on public roads. The Aeromax production has stopped and all the cars are sold; therefore, I struggle to see the value in this product placement (barring brand exposure but I would question the relevance of the target market).

I can see what the Gumball gain but do not understand where the benefit is to Morgan.

Must admit I agree with you Simon. The Gumball in particular has a pArticular 'association' that I do not subscribe to.

I am not averse to fast driving but driving fast (and/or dangerously) for the sake of 'look at me aren't I clever taking no-one elses well-being into consideration' is abhorrent.

I witnessed it once on the Rabbit Run personally, and in fairness to the organizers it was virtually immediately quashed and everyone moved on.

I am not holier than thou, for those that know me, but the Gumball is a step too far for me and in essence shhould be for Morgan.

Now for the 'however'........ However, I am assuming the car enters will be an Aeromax SS and not the run out original Max.

I am also assuming the car has been lent by the factory and as they only have SS demonstrators that will fit. And thus I think to view an SS alongside all the other supercars WILL expose Morgan to a younger more affluent client and of course to the USA. I would guess CM knows Max from a previous entry to a Gumball in the states in an Aero? Working from memory here.

BtG, Tony Hawk drove and a Morgan Aero 8 Series 1 in one of the early Gumball Rallys, as did Charles Morgan iirc.

To a degree, I can understand the company having an earlier association with the Gumball franchise as (A) it hadn't received such negative press and (B) it was presented in a much 'friendlier' and less antisocial manner - almost fun, light hearted and in a retro pastiche way (the live version of Burt Reynolds in The Cannonball Run. Obviously the bad press, deaths caused by participants and 'Too Much Money and Not Enough Sense' brigade have changed the dynamic drastically (imho) and therefore, Gumball 3000 2010 has a very different aura and connotation than Gumball 1999.

Furthermore, if you are correct, and the product placement is a Morgan Supersports and not an Aeromax, then surely the Gumball franchise would use the correct name and stock photos?

If the company view this as a PR / product placement exercise, and value the association, then surely getting the car name correct (and images) in the press release is essential to maximise their perceived benefit?

Fair point, however if you looked at the link the photo shown wasnt even a production Aeromax but Erics one off original!!

Dear Gumball 3000 Limited,

We are pleased to grant you the use of our Morgan XXX.

In return for use our car we expect XXX.

Here is the exact specification, description and images that we will expect you to use in your press release, and further media releases, pertaining to our car.

For an on behalf of...

(In other words BtG, personally and if I had a vested interest in the company promoting the product, I wouldn't be happy from a commercial perspective. All imho and perhaps I am both oversimplifying and missing the point)