Good morning. If you have been subscribed to this newsletter since Day 1. You will notice some major design changes. Let me take you through it.

To make this valuable and have some structure. Each edition will have 4 sections.

1. The Top Story: where I give you my analysis of it.
2. Pre-Race Analysis: What should we pay attention to
3. Post-Race Analysis: What is the general consensus?
4. Podium Worthy: Curated quick links to look at

I hope you like it! Please let me know if you like the new change. Your feedback is important!

​— Nirupam Singh​

TOP STORY
Why F1 remains the best global platform for Pirelli

After signing the latest contract, Pirelli will be with us until 2028; by the time it ends, it will have been associated with the series for at least 18 years. The brand is now familiar with the younger generation of fans.

Here are key details for the continued partnership:

Two quotes from Mario are important through the marketing lens. The past assets they have made include educational videos, which I featured in a past article about race tire education that performed well across social.

Brand association at Pirelli’s level is important, especially with F1, where there is a wider group of fans who will grow up with the sport. Being in the series as a supplier allows for more brand growth in countries where they are not as recognizable.

Big picture: What’s surprising about Mario's statement is that even Pirelli struggles with brand recognition in certain markets. This is why being smart on social media to cut through noise is a key skill as more people want to enter the industry.

Pirelli has been smart by utilizing the company's figureheads through founder-led/figure-headed marketing. They used Mario to discuss tyre wear in a collab post with his Instagram account and Pirelli Motorsport.​

The facts are clear. People buy from People.

We also got to speak to Mario in Season 1 of our podcast Track Limits.

Pre-Race Analysis

In one of my research-finding meetings last week, I spoke to a company looking to sponsor an F1 Driver. I can’t mention names for obvious reasons. But I can share the key things they were looking for.

It sheds light on what a top brand is looking to achieve with a sponsorship:

Here are 5 lessons I learned from them:

1. Data was KING.
2. Innovation was key
3. Long-Term Partnership
4. Understanding Brand Alignment
5. Brand Messaging

Between the lines: DTS only showed them that this world exists, but getting ROI from the partnership is different. Based on the pitch decks they saw, most lacked tangible marketing processes to bring them customers.

It was important for them to combine a unique identity with the ability to stand out amongst the crowd. This was a requirement for them to set their potential partnership apart.

Rather than a one-off deal, the preference was for a long-term partnership that could evolve and be built into a storyline over three years.

They emphasized aligning its brand values with those of the driver. It was never about exposure but the right fit that resonates with their target audience. They didn’t need the biggest driver; they needed the right driver.

Beyond a regular press release, they wanted to build a clear storyline to articulate their brand messaging effectively and resonate with a new target audience.

They had a clearer idea of their content strategy from the Top to the Bottom of the Funnel and how to place it within the sponsorship.

Zoom out: These concepts aren't new. In fact, growth hacker marketing plays a major role in building these partnerships, and we can't separate product and marketing teams. It's important to take the sexy part of marketing at times to focus on how it can get us results.

Post-Race Analysis

Before the Miami Grand Prix, Mercedes put on a show in New York. Of all the activations in Miami, pop-up stores, and digital activations, nothing stole the show more than the Fifth Avenue activation.​

That and Lando's win. But at least that's what was the most memorable for me.

There was a rooftop party, and Lily Herman had a fantastic take. Talking about what it was like to be 15 feet from Lewis Hamilton. A must-read.​

IRL activation that can naturally fit seamlessly into social content won, along with the quicky emoji car. Honestly, that made no sense to me.

Sure, Mercedes won the week before the race. But, many creators and niche activations also took place, catered to specific fans, which probably drove more conversions and depth with the brand and the fans.

Two very different models of catering to the fan.

What I like is the vast variety of immersive experiences you can have no matter what type of fan you are. The US races seem to offer more of that than those on the calendar.
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I also wrote more on why I thought the WhatsApp activation was among the smartest activations. It's a shame their car doesn't deliver, though.
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Let me know if you agree.

🍾 THE PODIUM

1. ​Box Box Club making more waves in the motorsport app space. Congrats Ranjit!
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2. Youtuber & Streamer Ginge reacts to Lando's Miami Win​
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3. Sheri Panaker is hiring a Volunteer Social Media Manager position for a new F1 project called Driven. Check out the job description and apply.

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