2 PACESETTERS
I n n o v a t i o n t a k e s o n t r a d i t i o n i n m o t o r s p o r t
FORMULA 1
For decades t h e F o r m u l a 1 s p o n s o r s h i p m o d e l h a s b e e n f i r i n g o n a l l cylinders . Despite feeling the wrath of increasingly strict a d v e r t i s i n g r e g u l a t i o n s o n a l c o h o l a n d tobacco , the property h a s c o n t i n u e d t o attract glamorous sponsors . Most recently , t h e y a t t r a c t e d s p o n s o r s h i p f r o m H e i n e k e n i n 2016 , w h i c h r e p r e s e n t s t h e b e e r g i a n t ’ s f i r s t f o r a y i n t o m o t o r s p o r t .
Why i s F 1 s o attractive to brands ? The s i m p l e a n s w e r i s t h a t i t t i c k s a l l t h e b o x e s : Hospitality , Media exposure , ambassadors , g l o b a l a p p e a l , l o c a l e n g a g e m e n t , s i g n i f i c a n t fan base e t c . T h e i n t e r e s t i n g d y n a m i c f o r b r a n d s c o n s i d e r i n g a p a r t n e r s h i p i n F o r m u l a 1 i s t h e c h o i c e b e t w e e n a p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h t h e F I A ( g o v e r n i n g b o d y ) a s a g l o b a l o r race- specific partner versus o n e w i t h a n i n d i v i d u a l t e a m . T h e v a r i o u s o p t i o n s a l l h a v e respective benefits : e . g . S c u d e r i a Ferrari offers increased presence in I t a l y f o r t e a m s p o n s o r A l f a R o m e o b u t a l s o p u t s all t h e i r e g g s i n o n e b a s k e t ; i f Ferrari have a t e r r i b l e s e a s o n , i t c o u l d reflect badly on t h e s p o n s o r . A l t e r n a t i v e l y , c o m p a n i e s c o u l d a d o p t t h e R e d B u l l a p p r o a c h b y a c t u a l l y creating a t e a m r a t h e r t h a n s p o n s o r i n g a n existing team , should they have the financial clout to manage this .
A l l i n a l l , t h e F 1 h a s a d i v e r s e , l o n g - standing m o d e l t h a t c o n t i n u e s t o a t t r a c t s o m e o f t h e b i g g e s t b r a n d s i n t h e w o r l d .
FORMULA E
Meanwhile , the youthful Formula E takes a s t e p a w a y f r o m a t r a d i t i o n a l s p o n s o r s h i p m o d e l a n d f o c u s e s h e a v i l y o n i n n o v a t i v e new- t h i n k i n g . A l s o g o v e r n e d b y t h e F I A , t h e a l l - electric racing series is now into its t h i r d s e a s o n . I n a w o r l d o f s o c i a l a n d e n v i r o n m e n t a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y F o r m u l a E is m a k i n g a s t a n d . T h e i r s p o n s o r s h i p m o d e l i s b a s e d a r o u n d t h e i r v a l u e s a n d b e l i e f s r a t h e r t h a n m e d i a v a l u e a n d v i e w i n g f i g u r e s .
B r a n d s a r e f i n d i n g F o r m u l a E i n c r e a s i n g l y irresistible as it allows synergies with a m o r e ‘ h e a l t h y / s u s t a i n a b l e ’ i d e a l w h i l s t r e m a i n i n g i n t h e d o m a i n o f p r o f e s s i o n a l m o t o r s p o r t . A n o t h e r p u l l f o r b r a n d s i s t h e inspiringly cool activation programme F o r m u l a E h a v e a s s e m b l e d i n c l u d i n g a dedicated fanzone before the races as well a s n u m e r o u s o t h e r i n v e n t i v e e l e m e n t s s u c h as “ f a n b o o s t ” . I n f a c t , A l l i a n z h a v e recently signed up as t i t l e p a r t n e r o f t h e aptly- n a m e d e V i l l a g e fanzone .
A b i g b r a n d s t a t e m e n t t o o k p l a c e i n t h i s s p a c e l a s t y e a r w h e n A u d i publicly intensified their commitment to Formula E a n d d w i n d l e d t h e i r i n v o l v e m e n t i n t h e m o r e traditional TT racing programme with which t h e y h a v e h i s t o r i c a l l y b e e n i n v o l v e d . E x p e c t m o r e b r a n d s t o b e h a v e s i m i l a r l y . S o , h i s t o r i c t r a d i t i o n v s . y o u t h f u l i n n o v a t i o n , i t w i l l b e f a s c i n a t i n g t o s e e h o w t h e r i v a l r y p a n s o u t .