Hellish fun with speedsters and planes
Helldriver isn’t a fan of boring corporate events. With remote-controlled race cars and aircraft, this game show goes beyond the traditional package of a solo entertainer, food, and drinks. Speedy Beetles, helicopters, and airplanes bring out the child in every employee—and are also perfect for promotional events.
His name is Angelini, but he likes to drive to hell. A year ago, Manuel Angelini founded the game show Helldriver. What sounds like a wild Harley gang is a playground for childish emotions - or more precisely: for remote-controlled cars. Angelini and his business partner, comedian Toni Caradonna, organize car races with remote-controlled VW Beetles. On a 200 square meter area, a team of six people drive a racing car together. Everyone is allowed two minutes at the "steering wheel", then a signal sounds and the remote control must be passed on. The time it takes each team to reach the finish line is measured and the fastest teams receive a prize. But it's not just speed that counts: Bonus laps are awarded for exemplary behavior on the race track, which can be used to compensate for poor driving performance. Those who drive recklessly will have points deducted. The events on the racetrack and the award ceremony are entertainingly presented by comedian Caradonna.
Sharing responsibility for the outcome of the race encourages team members to work together and everyone looks out for each other. That's why the game show is ideal for customer and employee events. "There are always eight cars on the track at the same time, so 48 people are involved," says Manuel Angelini. "The others watch or practice how to maneuver the cars on the course." To ensure that those who aren't driving don't get bored, there is also the Helldriver quiz: Movie tunes from the eighties will be playing in the background - from "A-Team" to "A Colt for All Seasons" and "Dallas". Whoever guesses the songs wins a bonus round.
Teamwork in the pit lane
"Although events are always staged in new ways, they are still very similar," says Angelini. "Above all, the guests are not activated, they just consume. I wanted to break this pattern." Angelini has clearly succeeded: At a three-day event for Mobiliar, there was only one topic from the CEO to the clerk: the little speedsters. "We also played games of skill," says Angelini. "People had to drive a course or operate the remote control in pairs, with one person accelerating and the other steering. Games like these are great fun and promote team building. They arouse emotions and improve communication." Difficulties with each other, anger at work and hierarchies were wiped away for once.
At an event for around 50 employees of Bank Wegelin, it was just as fun and collegial, says Angelini happily. Of course. At what other company event can you be such an uninhibited child and simply have fun?
The races with remote-controlled cars are fun for men and women alike. "We opted for VW Beetles so that the cuddly cars also appeal to women," says Angelini. "Women really enjoy the game show, especially in mixed teams. They react differently and shout 'oops' and 'help' more, but they find the races just as funny as the men. The moderation also offers good opportunities to pick up and involve women." With the equipment available, the Helldrivers can host events for around 250 people. However, if a company is planning an event for a larger number of employees, Angelini and Caradonna can expand their offer accordingly, for example by adding another race track, air shows or additional courses on which skills can be trained.
The boss as chauffeur
Angelini and Caradonna develop a comprehensive concept for each event. "We not only provide the equipment for the game show, but also discuss with our client what is important to him at the event and what goal he wants to achieve with it," says Angelini. "We then incorporate this into the presentation. For employee events, we also come up with funny prizes for the award ceremony, for example the boss picking up the winner from home in the morning for a week." If the company wishes, Angelini can also send the cars for a makeover: they are then given a company sticker on the paintwork or are completely resprayed.
A crazy team
The trained secondary school teacher and event manager Angelini and the trained physicist, entertainer, artist, comedian and stunt comedian Caradonna met at an event for which Angelini had booked Caradonna. To amuse his audience, Caradonna has a burning cigarette shot out of his mouth from a helicopter, for example. Caradonna was already experimenting with remote-controlled aircraft and owned several remote-controlled helicopters, airplanes and unmanned aerial vehicles, so-called drones. The two men came up with the idea of creating a game show in which guests could take part. They bought 14 remote-controlled Beetles and developed a package consisting of moderation, exercises on how to operate the remote control, driving training, a game show, quiz and award ceremony. Then they built the mobile, 200-square-meter racetrack out of a special carpet and pieces of pipe for the railing. "I experimented for some time until I found the perfect floor for the racing cars," says Angelini. "The racetrack is mobile, it can not only be laid out outside, but also in a hall or parking garage. So our game show is also suitable for winter." Nevertheless, the Helldrivers have also come up with an outdoor version for snow freaks: a race with snow crawlers. This version is particularly attractive for events in ski resorts. It requires even more skill than the Beetle Race due to the uneven slope. In total, Angelini and Caradonna have invested around 40,000 francs in the cars, the construction of the race track, the timing system and the music system.
Games, fun and emotions
"We've already received a few requests for the game show, for example from Coca-Cola or Heineken," says Angelini. "But nothing is definitively planned at the moment." Companies are understandably cautious about spending at the moment, especially when it comes to supposed extras such as customer and employee events. However, they should not lose sight of how important it is to retain customers and employees, especially in times of crisis. An event that will be remembered by both men and women, managers and interns, could be just the right motivational tool - especially as the investment for a complete game show is manageable at CHF 8,000 to 10,000. A classic company event with a band, presenter and comedian quickly exceeds this budget. "Employees are the best advertisement for a company," emphasizes Angelini. "Think about how many people around you talk positively about their workplace. The answer is sobering. Companies really need to do something about this."
Recently, the Helldrivers have also been offering their game show to break up seminars and congresses: "Seminars are extremely top-heavy, after two hours at the latest, nobody is receptive anymore, as brain research shows," says Angelini. "So training courses are naturally not very efficient." That's why the Helldrivers suggest distracting seminar participants from the subject matter during the breaks and letting them do something completely different. A small course, driven as a team, is fun and recharges energy stores within minutes: "Driving the course releases adrenaline," says Angelini. "This activates you and clears your head for the next learning unit." A pleasant side effect: the short interruption allows the seminar participants to get to know each other, which improves the working atmosphere in the seminar.
Marketing with a play instinct
But the Helldrivers have not yet finished with their ideas for carpet, snow and air shows: Remote-controlled cars are also perfect for guerrilla promotions. Angelini has purchased three trucks for this purpose. He has converted one into a loudspeaker truck for announcements, while the others have been converted so that products or product dispensers can be mounted on them. This allows companies to literally place their products at the feet of consumers. "You can put any consumer good on wheels and arouse more curiosity than with a poster," explains Angelini. "Our trucks can drive through the main station or the pedestrian zone with bags of potato chips or a new Schocki. The loudspeaker truck provides the corresponding slogans, information or sounds - for example the appetizing cracking of chips." Live commentary on the reactions of passers-by is also possible. So if you are ever approached by a truck on the street, the Helldrivers are probably behind it.
Rain of money for Zurich
Angelini and Caradonna also offer advertising attacks from the air: How about a banner, for example, pulled through the sky by one of the Helldriver planes - also perfect for a marriage proposal? With the unveiling of a new car model by a drone? Or by dropping flyers and give-aways from the air? On 1 Advent, for example, it will rain money on Zurich. However, the Helldrivers are not yet revealing exactly where and why the bills will trickle quietly.
The only thing missing now is a variant with boats so that play and promo are also possible on the perfect wave. But first Angelini and Caradonna want to exhaust the possibilities of their existing vehicles. They have plenty of ideas on how to use Beetles, trucks and planes.
Anne-Friederike Wilhelm
Angelini pit stop
Manuel Angelini (36) is a jack-of-all-trades: he trained as a secondary school teacher and worked as a teacher for three years before earning his living as an event manager for various communications agencies. He organized employee events with 20 to 2,000 guests and staged various musicals and tours. Today, Angelini teaches one day a week at the Gewerbeschule and is managing director of the event agency "Angelini, Agentur für Emotion". In 2008, he added the gimmicks for the child in all of us to his portfolio with the game show Helldriver. Angelini has also been playing drums for 20 years, most recently in the musical "Ewigi Liebi".
Sharing responsibility for the outcome of the race encourages team members to work together and everyone looks out for each other. That's why the game show is ideal for customer and employee events. "There are always eight cars on the track at the same time, so 48 people are involved," says Manuel Angelini. "The others watch or practice how to maneuver the cars on the course." To ensure that those who aren't driving don't get bored, there is also the Helldriver quiz: Movie tunes from the eighties will be playing in the background - from "A-Team" to "A Colt for All Seasons" and "Dallas". Whoever guesses the songs wins a bonus round.
Teamwork in the pit lane
"Although events are always staged in new ways, they are still very similar," says Angelini. "Above all, the guests are not activated, they just consume. I wanted to break this pattern." Angelini has clearly succeeded: At a three-day event for Mobiliar, there was only one topic from the CEO to the clerk: the little speedsters. "We also played games of skill," says Angelini. "People had to drive a course or operate the remote control in pairs, with one person accelerating and the other steering. Games like these are great fun and promote team building. They arouse emotions and improve communication." Difficulties with each other, anger at work and hierarchies were wiped away for once.
At an event for around 50 employees of Bank Wegelin, it was just as fun and collegial, says Angelini happily. Of course. At what other company event can you be such an uninhibited child and simply have fun?
The races with remote-controlled cars are fun for men and women alike. "We opted for VW Beetles so that the cuddly cars also appeal to women," says Angelini. "Women really enjoy the game show, especially in mixed teams. They react differently and shout 'oops' and 'help' more, but they find the races just as funny as the men. The moderation also offers good opportunities to pick up and involve women." With the equipment available, the Helldrivers can host events for around 250 people. However, if a company is planning an event for a larger number of employees, Angelini and Caradonna can expand their offer accordingly, for example by adding another race track, air shows or additional courses on which skills can be trained.
The boss as chauffeur
Angelini and Caradonna develop a comprehensive concept for each event. "We not only provide the equipment for the game show, but also discuss with our client what is important to him at the event and what goal he wants to achieve with it," says Angelini. "We then incorporate this into the presentation. For employee events, we also come up with funny prizes for the award ceremony, for example the boss picking up the winner from home in the morning for a week." If the company wishes, Angelini can also send the cars for a makeover: they are then given a company sticker on the paintwork or are completely resprayed.
A crazy team
The trained secondary school teacher and event manager Angelini and the trained physicist, entertainer, artist, comedian and stunt comedian Caradonna met at an event for which Angelini had booked Caradonna. To amuse his audience, Caradonna has a burning cigarette shot out of his mouth from a helicopter, for example. Caradonna was already experimenting with remote-controlled aircraft and owned several remote-controlled helicopters, airplanes and unmanned aerial vehicles, so-called drones. The two men came up with the idea of creating a game show in which guests could take part. They bought 14 remote-controlled Beetles and developed a package consisting of moderation, exercises on how to operate the remote control, driving training, a game show, quiz and award ceremony. Then they built the mobile, 200-square-meter racetrack out of a special carpet and pieces of pipe for the railing. "I experimented for some time until I found the perfect floor for the racing cars," says Angelini. "The racetrack is mobile, it can not only be laid out outside, but also in a hall or parking garage. So our game show is also suitable for winter." Nevertheless, the Helldrivers have also come up with an outdoor version for snow freaks: a race with snow crawlers. This version is particularly attractive for events in ski resorts. It requires even more skill than the Beetle Race due to the uneven slope. In total, Angelini and Caradonna have invested around 40,000 francs in the cars, the construction of the race track, the timing system and the music system.
Games, fun and emotions
"We've already received a few requests for the game show, for example from Coca-Cola or Heineken," says Angelini. "But nothing is definitively planned at the moment." Companies are understandably cautious about spending at the moment, especially when it comes to supposed extras such as customer and employee events. However, they should not lose sight of how important it is to retain customers and employees, especially in times of crisis. An event that will be remembered by both men and women, managers and interns, could be just the right motivational tool - especially as the investment for a complete game show is manageable at CHF 8,000 to 10,000. A classic company event with a band, presenter and comedian quickly exceeds this budget. "Employees are the best advertisement for a company," emphasizes Angelini. "Think about how many people around you talk positively about their workplace. The answer is sobering. Companies really need to do something about this."
Recently, the Helldrivers have also been offering their game show to break up seminars and congresses: "Seminars are extremely top-heavy, after two hours at the latest, nobody is receptive anymore, as brain research shows," says Angelini. "So training courses are naturally not very efficient." That's why the Helldrivers suggest distracting seminar participants from the subject matter during the breaks and letting them do something completely different. A small course, driven as a team, is fun and recharges energy stores within minutes: "Driving the course releases adrenaline," says Angelini. "This activates you and clears your head for the next learning unit." A pleasant side effect: the short interruption allows the seminar participants to get to know each other, which improves the working atmosphere in the seminar.
Marketing with a play instinct
But the Helldrivers have not yet finished with their ideas for carpet, snow and air shows: Remote-controlled cars are also perfect for guerrilla promotions. Angelini has purchased three trucks for this purpose. He has converted one into a loudspeaker truck for announcements, while the others have been converted so that products or product dispensers can be mounted on them. This allows companies to literally place their products at the feet of consumers. "You can put any consumer good on wheels and arouse more curiosity than with a poster," explains Angelini. "Our trucks can drive through the main station or the pedestrian zone with bags of potato chips or a new Schocki. The loudspeaker truck provides the corresponding slogans, information or sounds - for example the appetizing cracking of chips." Live commentary on the reactions of passers-by is also possible. So if you are ever approached by a truck on the street, the Helldrivers are probably behind it.
Rain of money for Zurich
Angelini and Caradonna also offer advertising attacks from the air: How about a banner, for example, pulled through the sky by one of the Helldriver planes - also perfect for a marriage proposal? With the unveiling of a new car model by a drone? Or by dropping flyers and give-aways from the air? On 1 Advent, for example, it will rain money on Zurich. However, the Helldrivers are not yet revealing exactly where and why the bills will trickle quietly.
The only thing missing now is a variant with boats so that play and promo are also possible on the perfect wave. But first Angelini and Caradonna want to exhaust the possibilities of their existing vehicles. They have plenty of ideas on how to use Beetles, trucks and planes.
Anne-Friederike Wilhelm
Angelini pit stop
Manuel Angelini (36) is a jack-of-all-trades: he trained as a secondary school teacher and worked as a teacher for three years before earning his living as an event manager for various communications agencies. He organized employee events with 20 to 2,000 guests and staged various musicals and tours. Today, Angelini teaches one day a week at the Gewerbeschule and is managing director of the event agency "Angelini, Agentur für Emotion". In 2008, he added the gimmicks for the child in all of us to his portfolio with the game show Helldriver. Angelini has also been playing drums for 20 years, most recently in the musical "Ewigi Liebi".
www.helldriver.ch
www.agentur-angelini.ch
www.agentur-angelini.ch
Pit stop Caradonna
Toni Caradonna (37) studied physics in Bern and Manchester before attending circus school in London. Caradonna has been working as an entertainer, artist, comedian and stunt comedian since 1996. He has performed more than 500 shows on three continents in over ten countries, winning several awards. Last year, Caradonna developed the game show Helldriver together with Manuel Angelini, in which he acts as presenter.
