BIGFOOT 50x50 Day 7, 2018: “Marketing Machine”

2018 was chock full of new areas for the BIGFOOT brand to explore. Early in the year BIGFOOT 4x4 signed with Global Toy Experts and MAS Creative to increase presence in the toy market and help with sponsorship and marketing. Another collaboration included BIGFOOT partnering with streetwear brand and media platform The Hundreds to create a line of BIGFOOT inspired street gear in the form of apparel and accessories.

At the end of March, BIGFOOT would be seen in Steven Spielberg's film, Ready Player One, based on the dystopian sci-fi novel by Ernest Cline. The movie would go on to be a big hit and gross over $600 million worldwide. But the big, BIG, more BIGFOOT-centric news for 2018 would be BIGFOOT's return to Hot Wheels and Mattel. The first collaboration between the entities since 1991. This would lead to not only toys but a full blown tour called Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live to begin in 2019.

On the racing side, Christian Norman would take his first championship becoming the 2018 4-Wheel Jamboree Monster Truck Thunder Drags Racing Co-Champion along with Mark Hall and Raminator after the two teams tied for points. Team BIGFOOT would score its seventh consecutive Toughest Monster Truck Tour Championship with Larry Swim and Summit 21.

The 2018 BIGFOOT Open House was a massive event and success. Bob and Marilyn Chandler, Jim Kramer, Dan Runte, George Link, George Smith, Larry Swim, Ron Bachmann, A.J. Straatmann, Gene Patterson, Colt Cobra, Josh Gibson, and Vinny Venom were all in attendance. The day was bookended by Darron Schnell in BIGFOOT 19, and Rodney Tweety in BIGFOOT 14 in exhibition action. For the R/C enthusiasts, JConcepts and Trigger King R/C were on hand to show off a massive array of R/C monster trucks and action packed racing.

The main showcase of the day though was possibly the largest collection of old school style monster trucks going head to head in side by side car crushing action. The field included Jeff Krekeler in High Roller II, Alan Fenstermaker in Earthquake, Jeffrey Fielding in Old Red Truck, Roni Esparza in One Bad Hombre, Heath Padgett in BFT, and Scotty Cruise in The Blaine Crusher.

The BIGFOOT Family and fans would mourn the passing of Ron Bachmann on August 30. The thirty-three year veteran known by various nicknames “Lurch,” “Big Man,” and “Puppy” had done it all with BIGFOOT. Racing, hauling, displays, car crushes, you name it. Big Man was a gentle soul, always quick with a good story and the perfect person to be not only BIGFOOT’s brand ambassador, but the utmost professional when it came to sponsor activation and being an all around representative for the world of monster trucks.