Kawasaki ZX-6R & Z800 Promo Videos Win New York Festivals Awards

2013 New York Festivals World’s Best Television & Films Awards

During this year’s 55th edition of New York Festivals World’s Best Television a& Films Awards, Kawasaki won numerous awards for its promotional videos of the 2013 Ninja ZX-6R supersport and the Z800, the middleweight Ninja that’s currently only offered overseas.

The Ninja ZX-6R video is titled “Ninja ZX-6R – Set Your Heart Racing.” The promo was filmed at the iconic Isle of Man TT Mountain Course with TT competitor James Hillier at the controls of the 636cc motorcycle, which was completely revised for 2013.

The video won three awards – a Gold World Medal in Film and Video – Industrial Productions, and Silver and Bronze World Medals for Film and Video – Craft. The Silver medal went to Cinematography, and the Bronze Production Design/Art Direction.

The Z800’s video, titled “Z800 – The Undisputed Middle Weight” won two awards – a Gold World Medal in Film and Video – Craft for Cinematography, and a Finalist Certificate for Film and Video – Craft for Production Design/Art Direction.

The honors are huge for the motorcycle manufacturer, considering the New York Festivals is  is recognized as a major event by those involved in television and film industries on a global scale.

Frank Zoontjes (Senior Brand Officer for Kawasaki Motors Europe) says: “For the new Ninja ZX-6R we used the iconic Isle of Man TT course as the location and engaged a top TT rider to star in the video. Likewise, the Z800 production featured a highly respected boxer in line with the tag line that this machine was a middleweight motorcycle with a knockout punch.

“Spurred-on by very positive public reaction to each of the two videos we consulted our production partner, Pool Productions, and decided to enter submissions in several categories of the prestigious New York Festivals awards in the hope that they would perhaps be selected among the finalists. To achieve this and then go on to win two gold’s, a silver and a bronze award was simply amazing.”

With a judging panel comprised of over 200 award-winning directors, producers, journalists, writers, actors, creative directors, art directors, filmmakers, composers and programming executives, the decision making process was inevitably rigorous, as film maker, Tom Moran explained.

Frank Zoontjes says: “We have been working with Kawasaki for a number of years and felt these two videos were worthy of wider recognition. To have each win the top award in a major category is an amazing feeling which makes all the hard work of the team involved worthwhile.”

The man who piloted the ZX-6R in the “Set Your Heart Racing,” James Hillier, was busy training for the 2013 Isle of Man TT races, but offered comment.

James Hillier says: “I had never done anything like this before and to witness roads being closed, helicopter filming coordinated with a camera “chase bike” and all the other elements being organized by the production team convinced me that we would have something special for Kawasaki fans to view. If I achieve the same level of success at the TT races in June, I will be delighted!”

To watch the ZX-6R video, click here.