2017 Winners & Shortlists

The Campaign

We kept our ear to the ground to unearth the underdog, and identify the rivalry between teammates in the race for the championship title. We decided to break the static conversation around Formula 1 on social media, and establish the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as the best in class for social Formula 1 coverage. We delivered our content with innovative creatives for F1 coverage, working around a blanket ban on video content to produce branded GIF images to better tell the championship story.

Creative Execution

Using an agile always on approach to social F1 coverage, providing race results content, and capturing the emerging stories or ad hoc moments during every race weekend. Selecting content identified as “winners”, we allocated a small but efficient budget behind each post. Using insights from previously engaged with posts to construct unique targeting for each piece, hijacking race conversations, and identifying new audiences. Not being allowed to publish race video content during the season, we introduced “moving imagery” in GIFs to provide our audience with engaging content to break through the static. Building on entertainment we partnered with Lionel Richie, publishing a series of video messages targeted for existing ticket holders, with a different message for potential ticket purchases. Utilising data, we launched products, including additional release “Abu Dhabi Hill” tickets targeted to previous ticket holders. Leveraged our existing community to generate 15% of total ticket revenue through cross selling.

Our content aimed to build audience interest within the sport, and ultimately convert interest into AbuDhabiGP attendance. During the campaign, we grew our social community by as much as 65%, with no budget allocated to acquisition of followers, our channel growth was purely organic. Through Strategic media push behind selected F1 content, leveraging custom audience and demographic targeting, overall engagement across social throughout the campaign increased by as much as 94%. We identified a new and previously untapped target market for the client in Dutch Formula 1 Fans. We reignited the passion for F1 for not only attending fans, but also fans sitting at home, we owned the race weekend conversation, with #AbuDhabiGP generating 7,074,200,00 impressions, hugely ahead our rivals’ respective races of the #BritishGP (6,349,000,000), and the #SingaporeGP (4,418,000,000). Ultimately, we achieved what we set out to do. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix reached capacity ticket sales 1 week

The AbuDhabiGP campaign proved that you don’t need an extensive media budget to reach your audience. In order to disrupt the static of a seemingly dying sport, we needed to reignite the passion of fans, new and existing alike.To think like a fan, you need to act like a fan. We demonstrated agile social, and a tactical content that our audience would want to consume. We applied this strategy for Yas Marina Circuit for the AbuDhabiGP to grow our community, identify new target markets, launch new products, and ultimately sell out the AbuDhabiGP.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

Our strategy was simple; we allocated budget to results posts, strong imagery, and engaging ad hoc posts. We targeted untapped new audiences to capture their engagement and loyalty. Continuously updating custom audience lists, made up from past and potential ticket purchasers, as well as our social community, we delivered tactical sales messaging during peaks in conversation. Identifying a strong fan base behind Dutch driver, Max Verstappen, we published more content around Verstappen, targeting specifically to the Netherlands. A clear rivalry between the Mercedes teammates began building excitement around the possibility title decider between Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton on our turf. We first spotted this in May, when the teammates collided on the opening lap of the SpanishGP. Immediately post-race, we published a GIF of the incident. We created a fear of missing out in the audience, encouraging fans to watch the title unfold live at the AbuDhabiGP.