The expected way to celebrate a SUV maker’s participation in a gruelling off-road race would be by producing an emotionally-charged film about the event. Expected ways don’t always cut through the clutter in a content-saturated world. So Venables Bell & Partners and Scout Motors did something different. The partnered with Farm League and director, Britton Caillouette, to produce an emotionally-charged film that goes far beyond a race.
In April 2025, Scout Motors returned to its off-road racing roots at the legendary NORRA MEXICAN 1000 in Baja California. Ironically dubbed, the Happiest Race on Earth, NORRA spans more than 1,290 miles of punishing terrain, busted parts, and relentless desert heat across six gruelling days.
Having been a steady presence in off-road racing in the early 1970s, Scout Motors returned in 2023 with a faithfully restored 1976 Scout Terra truck, the “Race Terra”. Behind the wheel were renowned Scout restorer, ambassador, and legacy builder, Sean Barber, and his son, Owen.
The 2025 race marked the Barbers’ third NORRA run and their most meaningful yet, following a harrowing near-death experience during the 2024 event that nearly sidelined them for good. Backed by Scout Motors for the third consecutive year, they completed an unforgettable comeback, finishing first in their Legends 4×4 class and cementing their place in the brand’s evolving story.
The new spot, Baja, picks up with Sean and Owen after the race ends. The crowds are gone and the dust has settled. As they hitch the Race Terra to the new Scout Terra truck (the Scout Terra concept car was revealed in October 2024), the symbolism is clear. This isn’t just about crossing a finish line — it’s about what gets passed down and carried forward.
As the final line of the spot reads, “It’s not about going backward. It’s about what you haul forward.”
The spot will run across CTV platforms such as Amazon Prime, Peacock, and Paramount; online video such as YouTube; as well as paid social.
Credits:
Client: Scout Motors
CEO: Scott Keogh
VP, Brand & Strategy: Ryan Decker
Senior Manager, Integrated Brand Strategy: Jonathan Snyder
Director, Brand Experience Design: Ray Ng
Senior Manager, Content & Community: Chris Stahl
Associate General Counsel, Marketing & Brand: Brittany Estell
Creative Agency: Venables Bell & Partners
Founder, Chairman: Paul Venables
Chief Creative Officer, Partner: Will McGinness
Managing Director, Associate Partner: Brittni Hutchins
Group Creative Directors: Matt Keats & Byron Del Rosario
Associate Creative Directors: Jack Woodworth & Nick Spahr
Head of Brand Management, Group Brand Director: Justin Pitcher
Brand Director: Malia Blew
Brand Project Supervisor: Cristal Hernandez
Senior Integrated Producer: Tess Rockers
Head of Strategy: Jasmine Clark
Head of Agency Resourcing and Workflow: Raquel Bedard
Associate Business Affairs Director: Tina Marie Thorland
Audio Video Post Specialist: Jason Bridges
Media: Supp.ly
Founder, Head of Media Design: Matt Nisbet
Director of Planning and Strategy: Ian Horne
Production: Farm League
Director: Britton Caillouette
Founder & Executive Producer: Tim Lynch
Executive Producer: Michael Pizzo
Line Producer: Mackenzie Berkman
Production Supervisor: Gianfranco Svagelj
Director of Photography: Justin Henning
Production Designer: Kim Rees
Camera Operator: Richard Hama
Editorial: Whitehouse Post Productions, LLC
Editor: Adam Marshall
Assistant Editors: Lauren Jansen & Paul Rummerfield
Producer: Jared Thomas
Senior Executive Producer: Joanna Manning
VFX & Colour: Carbon
VFX Lead: Pete Mayor
Executive Producer: Matthew McManus
Producer: Vanessa Yee
Colourists: Julien Biard, Fred Keller
Colour Assist: Zoe Lambert
Colour Executive Producer: Natalie Westerfield
Music: Songs for Film and TV
Music Supervisor: David Fisher
Composer: Roger Neill
Music Coordinator: Liz Sharpe
Sound Design & Mix: Lime Studios
Sound Design & Mixer: Rohan Young
Audio Assistant: Jeremy Nichols
Producer: Cassie Underwood
Executive Producer: Susie Boyajan
