by Eymie Labbe
Last fall, Loki Box Design wrapped up a major tour of the southwestern U.S. with Bombardier Recreational products (BRP) and its Can-Am Maverick UTV. Loki’s relationship with BRP started out with a modest display unit and, after establishing a track record of success during the past tour, grew into bigger and more impressive mobile architecture. Today the UTV manufacturer travels with a deluxe, fully developed and customized to the brand, Loki Split 40 model. BRP’s Split 40 model consists of a repurposed 40-foot container with a unique diagonal hinge that opens up to an imposing 16-foot height. Alongside this main unit are double-stacked 20-foot containers painted in dramatic black as well as tents that create an environment entirely personalized for the brand. The environment, which is modular, makes the BRP Can-Am array the hottest, most jaw-dropping display on the tour, stop after stop.
The Tour
Loki worked with Warnert Promotions Group for UTV to create experiences for BRP that went way beyond showroom quality, showcasing the Maverick UTV line on the very terrain it was born to rule and deeply connecting with the sport’s true fans.
Stop 1: Sand Sports Super Show, Costa Mesa, Calif.
BRP kicked off its U.S. tour on September 15 at the Sand Sports Super Show in Costa Mesa, an off-road enthusiasts paradise where up to 200,000 motor heads gather for three days of sun, sand and the sweet smell of exhaust. The biggest product demo weekend in the off-roading segment, the Super Show is the place for riders to test ride the major manufacturers’ 2018 models, check out all the custom suppliers and generally have a great time riding the trails. Normally the bugs get worked out on the first stop of a major tour, but things could not have gone more smoothly in Costa Mesa. Can-Am’s booth became an instant hit drawing huge traffic and creating a great sense of excitement for the Can-Am brand and for its co-exhibitors, Monster Energy Drink, BAJA lighting and Rugged Radio.
Stop 2: Can-Am Club gathering, Dallas, Texas
For the second stop of its 2017 tour, Loki completely re-skinned BRP’s module replacing the generic Can-Am Maverick branding for the worldwide launch of its new Can-Am Maverick Trail model. A major product launch is always a big deal. Pulling out all the stops, BRP created a custom-built dirt track on site where invited industry guests could test ride the Maverick Trail. Day one of the events was exclusively for VIPs, mostly dealers and distributors invited from all over the world, while day two was scheduled as the media event.
Stop 3: Ultra4 Nitto National Championship, Reno, Nevada
Despite serious winds that toppled tents and raised clouds of dust, 3,000 hardy race fans came out to see the Nitto Tire Unlimited four-wheel drive racing championship held near Reno on the weekend of October 19. BRP’s hard-core off-roading fans were treated to two days of competitive speed trials, long jumps and some serious rock crawling, the perfect backdrop to showcase the company’s Maverick side-by-side UTV following a productive day of dealer training. Fortunately for BRP, Loki’s near-bulletproof displays made from reconditioned shipping containers were quite at home in the face of any sandstorm. (Some tent exhibitors, unfortunately, were actually unable to set up…ouch.) With a bit of quick thinking and the help of a forklift and the Loki Split 40’s hydraulic leveling system, the set up crew was able to handle a pretty ornery desert landscape and get the display area race ready.
Stop 4: Glamis Halloween, Glamis, Calif.
The endless, towering sand dunes of Glamis are the perfect moonscape for off-roading fun and every year close to 100,000 UTV-hauling participants and spectators converge on the small town of Glamis, for some sand blasting action. From October 27-29, in addition to a special course for sport UTVs like the Can-Am Maverick, fans got to compete in a customization competition, showing off their radical mods and wicked paint jobs. This is a huge event, with participants coming from all over the southwest to ride a special Can-Am trail laid out for them in the wild, untouched dessert (if they choose to follow it, it’s an open course!). No gas stations or convenience stores, just miles of open sand! Lucky for them, there are free repairs available all event long.
What makes the event so special is that it’s open to amateur enthusiasts, so you don’t have to be a pro-rider or qualify in any way. Participants have the chance to ride with one of the Can-Am sponsored pros like Dustin Jones to learn the tricks of the trade in a real dune environment. Jones also put on quite a demonstration of his skills aboard his customized Can-Am Maverick Turbo.
Stop 5: SXS Adventure Rally, Utah
The SXS Utah Adventure rally is a rock festival… but not the music kind! With guided and unguided trail rides available for all levels of rider on a varied trail network, it really is a great place for off-road fans to do some hands-on demo riding of the latest products in the industry, including the Can-Am Maverick. With all the biggest brands exhibiting and competing head-to-head on the demo circuit, BRP had to look amazing back at rally central. The Loki Split 40 and its double stack 20-foot outriders performed superbly, clearly creating a focal point for the entire three-day gathering where people could chill, discuss the Maverick technology and relax in preparation for the next day’s thrills.
An Inspiring Collaboration for BRP and Loki
The recent BRP Southwestern U.S. tour was a great example of what is possible and how close working relationships end up creating exceptional accomplishment.
“It was a pleasure for Loki Box Design to have developed, with BRP, the Split 40, a world-first in refurbished shipping container design of its type,” says Pierre-Mathieu Roy, CEO/president of Loki Box Design, adding, “Mobile satellite showrooms that create buzz around engines is the way to be proactive. It’s adding mobility to a gradually-changing sector.”
With all the logistics humming along nicely and a great looking, hard-working display at each stop with Loki’s strong expertise, BRP could really focus on helping off-road fans get to know and appreciate the strengths of its Can-Am Maverick line of UTVs.
Eymie Labbe is the chief marketing & communications officer for Loki. Loki’s DNA is modular design with style giving people the power to create groundbreaking architectural experiences. They use recycled shipping containers and eco-friendly building materials to overcome the limits of traditional design by creating unique architectural elements that will make you the center of attention and a source of inspiration. Loki is more than just a business, it’s a lifestyle–it’s architecture that adapts to our ever-evolving reality. For more info, visit www.lokiboxdesign.com.
