How many hot laps does it take for a car bonnet to cook an egg? Creative agency, nice&frank has achieved the improbable task of giving Graza olive oil a credible place in the pre-NASCAR on The CW event excitement. The campaign, The Hot Lap Test, celebrates Graza’s (left-of-centre) role as The Official Olive Oil of NASCAR by putting its signature squeeze bottle high-quality olive oil through the same kind of high-speed, high-heat conditions that define race day. It cooks an egg, sunny-side up, using the heat of the bonnet of a car doing laps on a racetrack. The entertaining and unexpected idea widens the campaign’s appeal by not treating NASCAR as simply a sponsorship backdrop.

The 30- and 15- second films were directed by Drool director, Jasper Cable-Alexander. They’re classic Americana charm, the thrill of motorsports, and the brand’s irreverent creative voice – NASCAR with a Graza twist.

Grace Hwang, creative director, nice&frank, commented, “The creative challenge wasn’t simply making a NASCAR ad. It was building a world where Graza genuinely belonged. That meant embracing the NASCAR community with sincerity, then adding just enough Graza wit to make it memorable. ‘The Hot Lap Test’ captures the brand’s personality, while celebrating the energy and excitement that makes NASCAR so engaging.”

As an extension of the March launch of Graza’s new brand platform, Seriously Serious, the olive oil maker is also highlighting its viral venture into chips by asking the classic question, Potato, Potahto? Airing on Walmart CTV and social,the 15- and 30 -spots bring the same comedic approach cooking enthusiasts know Graza for, juxtaposed with how ‘seriously serious’ the brand takes their chips, cooked in 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Andrew Benin, Co-founder & CEO, Graza, stated, “NASCAR represents one of America’s great gathering places, where food is just as much a part of the experience as the race itself. We saw an opportunity to celebrate that culture through the Graza lens. Not by simply showing up with a logo, but by creating experiences and creative work that feel authentic to race weekends and stay true to our brand’s irreverent personality.”

Kara Ludman, creative director, Graza, added, “The visual world of NASCAR is incredibly rich with sun-soaked tracks, tailgates, roadside Americana, and larger-than-life personalities. We wanted to capture that nostalgia while infusing it with the bold color, humor and slightly campy spirit that’s become synonymous with Graza. The result is a campaign that feels familiar, but unmistakably ours.”

Credits:

Client: Graza 
Co-Founder & CEO: Andrew Benin 
Creative Director: Kara Ludman 
Creative Producer: Casey Elkin 
VP of Marketing: Alex Edelstein 
Director of Brand Marketing: Kali Shulklapper 

Agency: nice&frank  
Chief Creative Officers & Co-founders: Laura Petruccelli & Graham North 
Creative Director: Grace Hwang 
Associate Creative Directors: Charlotte Frank & Elizabeth Swartz 
Director of Visual Narrative: Michael Stone
Head of Connections Strategy: Drew Forrest 
Junior Brand Strategist: Drew Petereit 
Executive Producer: Kimberly Chavez 
Account Director: Ryan Toland 
Chief of Staff: Molly Warner 
Photographer: Michael Stone 
PR Lead: Colin Brown 

Production Company: Drool
Director: Jasper Cable-Alexander
DoP: Natasha Duursma
Co-Founder & EP: Genevieve Sheppard
Line Producer: Marija Djikic
Production Manager: Ella Knight
Production Coordinator: Chirolles Khalil
Production Assistant: Zara Trott
1st Assistant Director: Julian Richards
2nd Assistant Director: Caspar Campbell
Production Designer: Ranya El-Refay
Key Make Up & Hair: Dasha Taivas
Stylist: Ellie Walker 

Editing: The Helm 
Editor: Becca Spaven 

Finishing & Colour: Selected Works
Lead Flame: Makilah King 
Production: Solomon Tigah 
Colourist: Nielsan Bohl

Sound Design & Mix: Bronx Audio
Sound Designer & Mixer – Dave Wolfe 

Business Affairs: Hailstorm
CEO: Michelle McKinney
Business Affairs Director: Nikki Balekijan