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Chevy Wins Advertising Award for Viral “Technology and Stuff” World Series Gaffe [VIDEO]

For the third annual year, One Show held its Automobile Advertising of the Year Awards at the Detroit Auto Show. And while brands like Honda and Acura took home trophies for their creative commercials, Chevrolet was honored for a very different piece of viral marketing.

Specifically, Chevy was recognized for the way it capitalized on the infamous “technology and stuff” gaffe from the 2014 World Series.

To refresh your memory: when San Francisco defeated Kansas City in Game Seven, a regional Chevrolet manager named Rikk Wilde showed up to present Giants pitcher and Series MVP Madison Bumgarner with a brand new 2015 Chevy Colorado. Unfortunately, Rikk got incredibly nervous when he realized he was being watched by 24 million people, and started awkwardly stuttering through his description of the pickup truck. His cringe-inducing performance culminated with the line, “[the Colorado] combines class-winning and leading, um… y’know, technology and stuff.”

What Chevy did next, though, amounted to an award-winning marketing push:

Technology and Stuff: Chevy unveils upgraded version of myChevrolet mobile app

So the most humiliating night of Rikk Wilde’s life ended up being a huge boon for the automaker, which quickly ran print and television ads utilizing the #TechnologyAndStuff phrase.

All in all, the bowtie brand ended up receiving a whopping $5 million in free media exposure thanks to the gaffe. And now, an advertising award for Best Interactive Advertising from One Show, a non-profit devoted to “elevating creative work in the industry worldwide,” has confirmed the accidental genius of it all.

“Chevy Guy” Rikk Wilde himself ended up being brutally memed by the internet, impersonated on The Late Show with David Letterman, and even turned into a Jeopardy! answer.

Hopefully he also got a raise from his company, though, considering how much he suffered for his (unintentionally) brilliant marketing stunt.

Chevy Awards: Bowtie brand wins Motor Trend 2016 Car and Truck of the Year Awards