In 2022, Google Chrome became an Official Partner of the McLaren Formula 1 Team. The partnership provides McLaren with a 5G-enabled, seamless technology experience across Chrome browsers and Android devices in McLaren’s racing operations, with the goal of improving on-track performance, reducing lag time in communications to improve overall race speed. For Chrome, we were able to correlate McLaren and F1’s incredible speeds and our fast-paced browser with the goal of driving preference for Chrome amongst iOS users. To do so, we were tasked to celebrate the speed of Google Chrome in a culturally-relevant way, connecting the world's fastest browser to the fastest sport with a social-driven stunt that leveraged the McLaren partnership.

To highlight Chrome’s speed, we challenged rappers Lil Yachty and Busta Rhymes to rap as fast as Lando Norris drives, converting Lando’s fastest lap ever at 220 MPH to 220 beats-per-minute. From there, producer Earl on the Beat created a variable BPM base track that perfectly synchronized with the intimidatingly fast speeds of Lando’s McLaren driving. The rappers were tasked with writing original lyrics about speed and Google Chrome, which came to life as an original track and video. We then tapped into the trend of open verse challenges on TikTok, and invited globally-famous rappers to add their own verses as part of the #ChromeSpeedChallenge. TikTok creators Harry Mack, and Baby Tate joined the challenge, posting their fastest bars on TikTok, and invited the community to join.

The number one reason our audience (18-44 mobile iOS users) decides to switch browsers is speed. Therefore, we set out to connect Chrome to speed through culture. To leverage the McLaren partnership and connect Chrome to speed in culture, we needed to identify where F1 fan communities were connecting, and that platform was TikTok. 38% of iOS 18-44 F1 Fans watch content on TikTok (177i), and are 2.6x more likely to make their own content for TikTok (31%). There was 141% growth in F1 video views on TikTok from 2021 to 2022, and 271% Increase in F1 social engagement. We honed in on TikTok consumer behaviors and discovered that Open Verse Challenges accounted for 2.2B+ views on the platform. Our epiphany: Chrome, F1, and Tiktok’s top music category of rap all had a common denominator: speed.

The campaign kicked off with a :15 social Teaser that lived across our talent, Lil Yachty & Busta Rhymes social channels (IG and YT) with paid amplification. A long form :90 hero video launched two days later (IG and YT) with paid support and a call to action that kicked off our TikTok + YTShorts open verse challenge, with the end card: “Think you’re as fast as Chrome? Join the Chrome Speed Challenge” This hero asset prompted the beginning of the open verse rap challenge under the hashtag #chromespeedchallenge. Harry Mack, Busta, Baby Tate, alongside UK creators all took part in the challenge that lived organically on TikTok and encouraged users to create their own verses. Chrome Speed Challenge racked up over 59.6M views; that’s 60x greater than the average linear viewership of F1.

Chrome Speed Challenge racked up over 59.6M views; that’s 60x greater than the average linear viewership. The campaign resonated with fans, achieving a 72% positive sentiment among all social conversation, which is 13% higher than benchmark, along with 1.5M engagements. The Challenge also generated organic fan participation, with UGC videos receiving an additional 1.4M organic views, demonstrating how Chrome helped drive the cultural conversation of F1, Chrome, and McLaren.