In a bold new move at the intersection of entertainment and brand storytelling, Lucky Kraken, the disruptive content studio founded by television and advertising veterans Ted Lega and Sam Wackerle, has partnered with American Collectors Insurance to launch, Lost Classics, a first-of-its-kind unscripted TV series debuting this Summer across major streaming platforms.
Hosted and co-executive produced by master restorer and shop owner Tony D’Antonio (formerly of Last Chance Garage on HBO Max and MotorTrend), each 22-minute episode of Lost Classics brings forgotten vehicles back into the spotlight and dives deep into the culture that surrounds them. D’Antonio’s hands-on expertise and natural charisma ground the series.
“I grew up on early automotive reality TV and knew right away this was what I wanted to do,” said Tony D’Antonio. “Starting my restoration business at 19 in my parents’ driveway, those shows felt like a mirror of my world. It’s an honor to now share my passion with the automotive community on such a large scale.”
This the groundbreaking automotive series and cross-platform content ecosystem is just the beginning.
The Lost Classics series is the centerpiece of a powerful content engine, with hundreds of short and mid form pieces being created from both the show’s footage and exclusive bonus material captured by Lucky Kraken’s on-set social team. This expansive content strategy will be distributed across Lost Classics and American Collectors Insurance’s social media platforms.
Social media execution is a joint effort between Milwaukee-based agency Disrupt Idea Co, brought in by Lucky Kraken, and the American Collectors Insurance social team. Together, they ensure that every piece of content on platforms such as Instagram Reels, TikTok, or long-form YouTube features, is strategically designed to maximize reach, engagement, and return on ROI.
“The opportunity to create an unscripted television series for American Collectors Insurance that not only entertains but also builds culture, brand affinity, awareness, and ultimately drives ROI, was at the heart of our creative and strategic approach. We set out to deliver something that feels authentic to the audience while serving meaningful business objectives,” said Lega.
Principal photography wrapped in late May, with production taking place in Philadelphia and Chicago. Post-production is currently underway at Rare Bird Post.
“We’re not just insuring classic cars, we’re telling their stories,” said Krystal Shannon, Senior Director of Marketing at American Collectors Insurance and Executive Producer. “Bringing this show to life alongside some of the most creative minds in automotive entertainment is a bold new chapter for us. They are a studio purpose-built to bridge entertainment and brand strategy. They didn’t just bring us a show concept; they brought us the entire content ecosystem, a vision for multi-platform engagement, and the creative and strategic leadership to make it real.”
“We knew from the start that Lost Classics needed to extend into digital and social in a big way,” added Sam Wackerle, Lucky Kraken Executive Producer. “So, we built a brand storytelling engine. This is the future of how companies connect with communities, through real content on the platforms they prefer.”
Lost Classics marks the second original series from Lucky Kraken in 2025, underscoring the studio’s momentum in delivering brand-backed entertainment that resonates with both niche and mainstream audiences.
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