Phoenix-based company's scooter featured in Hollywood film - Phoenix Business Journal
Family owned and operated Phoenix-based scooter company EWheels, the maker of a two-passenger electric scooter, will soon be featured on the big screen. Phoenix-based company EWheels' electric EW-66 model scooter will be featured in the film “Thelma” by chance. The company, founded by CEO Scott Rubin more than 15 years ago, received a call from someone asking to borrow the scooter for the release of the film. Ewheels' most popular models are the EW-36 ($1,999) and EW-46 ($2,499). The film was purchased by New York-based Magnolia Pictures, a subsidiary of Mark Cuban and Todd Wagner's 2929 Entertainment. Since its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January, the company has been selling about five scooters per week.
Publicado : Hace 10 meses por Mignon A. Gould en Business
The family-owned and operated company, which was founded by CEO Scott Rubin more than 15 years ago, learned of the product placement in a Hollywood film by chance.
Andi Barness-Rubin, Scott's wife and the national director of sales and marketing, found out that their electric EW-66 model scooter would be featured in the film “Thelma” after receiving a phone call from someone inquiring about whether EWheels had a Florida-area dealership, and wanting to borrow the company’s two-passenger scooter for the release of the film.
“I had no idea what they were talking about, and so they sent me the trailer and that's how we found out. If we would have known, we would have given the movie the scooter," Barness-Rubin said.
The premise of the film has Oscar-nominated actress June Squibb as Thelma Post — a feisty 93-year-old grandmother and her aging friend, portrayed by Golden Globe-nominated actor Richard Roundtree — zipping across LA on an EW-66 scooter to settle the score after being phone scammed.
New York-based Magnolia Pictures, a subsidiary of Mark Cuban and Todd Wagner's 2929 Entertainment and the distributor for “Thelma,” purchased three red EW-66 scooters. Barness-Rubin admits not knowing how the filmmakers discovered EWheel scooters, but described the film company as “gracious” for helping them promote their scooters in the film.
“I don't want to put words into their mouth, but from the sound of it, they were looking for a scooter that had some personality,” Barness-Rubin said. “I'm just so happy they found us, because we have been selling so many of these scooters.”
On average, EWheels sells about two EW-66 scooters per month, but since the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January, EWheels has been selling about five per week.
This is not the first time Hollywood came calling for a Valley business.
Lifted Trucks, a Phoenix-based dealership that builds out and sells used trucks, recently received an endorsement from Kevin Costner after customizing a truck for him. In another instance, Tempe-based Legacy EV partnered with Idaho-based Conductive Classics to convert 1920s era cars into electric vehicles featured on the set of "Yellowstone" prequel “1923,” starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren.
EWheels has now sold more than $100 million worth of scooters to date, Barness-Rubin said. The 20-employee company's most popular models are the EW-36 ($1,999) and the EW-46 ($2,499). The EW-66 retails for $3,499 and reaches a top speed of 15 mph. EWheels carries 40 different scooter models in various colors.
Barness-Rubin believes his company is only maker of a two-passenger scooter and she anticipates selling even more of the electric device when the action-comedy hits the big screen on June 21.
The EWheels scooter is a perfect fit for the film, according to Barness-Rubin, who said that when her husband started the company, the intended target market was for the 65-plus person with medical or mobility issues who still wanted something that looked and felt fun.
“It was about flair — we didn't want scooters that look like you had a foot in the grave,” Barness-Rubin said. “We wanted things that were still exciting, no matter how old you are.”
The company’s market has since grown to include anyone that wants an alternative mode of transportation and doesn't want to ride a bike — such as golf course communities.