An unusual promotion planned for the Indianapolis 500 is based on the saying that the only difference between men and boys is the size of their toys.

Mattel is joining forces with an IndyCar sponsor, the Izod apparel brand owned by the Phillips-Van Heusen Corp., for a promotion to be centered on a life-size version of the V-Drop track set, sold as part of the Mattel Hot Wheel line of die-cast toys. A member of Team Hot Wheels — a crew of stunt drivers — will try on May 29 to break the current world record for a distance jump in a four-wheeled vehicle (302 feet) by speeding in a life-sized yellow race car down a ramp that resembles the track included with the set.

And just as the V-Drop track set is meant to be hung from a child’s bedroom door, a door 10 stories high, or 100 feet tall, will be built in the infield of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The promotion — formally called Izod Presents Hot Wheels Fearless at the 500 — is an example of what is known as experiential marketing, which seeks to bring brands to life in tangible ways. The goal is to discover new methods to disseminate product pitches because consumers are more able than ever to avoid traditional types of advertising.

This strategy is underlined by the unofficial theme of the promotion, “Hot Wheels for Real,” which is also the name of a sweepstakes that will give away prizes like a trip to the Indianapolis 500.

Among other examples of experiential marketing are temporary retail outlets, called pop-up stores; stage shows presented by Good Housekeeping magazine, under the title “Shine On,” which benefit the National Women’s History Museum; and the recruitment of consumers as brand ambassadors, evangelizing for favorite products.

In this instance, Mattel is seeking to expand the market for Hot Wheels by stimulating interest among men ages 18 to 34. Currently, the toys are aimed at boys ages 3 to 8; men in their 30s or older often rediscover the toys when they have children or develop an interest in collectibles.

“It’s an audience that once had a great connection with Hot Wheels,” said Simon Waldron, vice president of marketing for Hot Wheels at Mattel in El Segundo, Calif.

Until now, “we haven’t served up a good enough reason for them to re-engage with the brand,” he added.

Other Hot promos

“It’s all about evolving Hot Wheels,” Waldron said, both for the toys along with expanding into areas that would interest the intended target audience, like clothing, video games and online gaming. The promotion will be accompanied by a presence in social media like the Hot Wheels and Izod Facebook pages; content on the Hot Wheels website; and the appearance of Hot Wheels in an advertorial for Izod in magazines like GQ.

There are also plans for a 30-minute Hot Wheels television show, to appear after the ABC coverage of the Indianapolis 500.

Mattel is working on the promotion with Bandito Brothers, a production company in Culver City, Calif., and Mistress, a creative agency in Los Angeles.

“What Mattel wants is for Hot Wheels to be relevant to boys of all ages,” said Damien Eley, a partner and creative director at Mistress. One way to achieve that, he added, is to “offer a connection with action sports and car culture.”

“When you pick up a Hot Wheels car, there’s a combination of imagination and reality,” Eley said.

And because Hot Wheels cars are built on a 1:64 scale, “in theory, they could be made for real,” he added, which led to the idea of “imagining everything on a life-sized scale.”

Izod’s involvement came through its status as the title sponsor of the IndyCar Series, including the Indianapolis 500.

“We both go after a common target audience of young men, next-gen males, as we refer to them,” said Mike Kelly, executive vice president for the marketing group at Phillips-Van Heusen in New York. “As kids, we all played with Hot Wheels,” he added, so bringing up the brand to a teenager or 20-something “takes you back to happy moments as a kid.”