WHILE THEY APPRECIATE THE STRATEGY AND ENGINEERING, WHAT F1 FANS REALLY LOVE IS THE DRAMA. TO SUSTAIN FANS’ PASSION AS THE SPORT EVOLVES THE KEY IS TO FIND THE DRAMA IN NEW PLACES.

WE NEEDED TO CHALLENGE FANS’ SCEPTICISM BY FINDING AND AMPLIFYING THE DRAMA FROM SOMEWHERE FRESH.

OUR OBJECTIVE WAS TO IGNITE THE PASSION FOR F1 IN NEW AND EXISTING FANS BY MAKING THE UPCOMING SEASON FEEL UNMISSABLE. INCREASE SIGN UPS FROM NEW CUSTOMERS AND UPGRADES FROM EXISTING SKY SPORTS VIEWERS TO F1 CHANNEL.

WE PUSH THROUGH A PACKED CROWD AT NIGHT FOLLOWING A BOY AND GIRL. REACHING A FENCE WE SEE THEY ARE AT AN F1 RACE. WE TRAVEL WITH THE CARS AS THE TRACK ANGLES UP INTO THE SKY. IT HAS BECOME A TOWERING ROLLERCOASTER ABOVE THE LAS VEGAS SKYLINE. UPS, DOWNS, TWISTS AND TURNS ENSUE AS THE TEAM PRICIPALS LOOK ON. THE DRAMA CONTINUES AS A CORKSCREW LEADS INTO A DRAMATIC LOOP THE LOOP. AS THE THREE LEAD DRIVERS COMPLETE THE LOOP THEY EMERGE ONTO THE HOME STRAIGHT WHERE WE SEE THE TAGLINE IN BRIGHT NEON LIGHTS; ENJOY THE RIDE. SKY SPORTS X

TO HUMANIZE THE EXCITEMENT OF F1 WHAT BETTER METAPHOR IS THERE THAN A ROLLERCOASTER? OUR BIG IDEA ENJOY THE RIDE INJECTED UNPREDICTABILITY, ENERGY & OPTIMISM INTO F1. WE ELEVATED THE SEASON BY TAKING IT TO BRIGHT NEW HEIGHTS CREATING AN IMMERSIVE RIDE FULL OF TWISTS, TURNS & WONDERMENT.

WHAT FANS REALLY LOVE ABOUT F1 IS THE DRAMA. NETFLIX’S DRIVE TO SURVIVE INSPIRED A WHOLE NEW WAVE OF POTENTIAL VIEWERS; OVER HALF OF GLOBAL FANS CLAIM THAT THE SHOW INFLUENCED THEIR FANDOM TO SOME DEGREE. SO WHY DID THEY FALL IN LOVE WITH IT? DRIVE TO SURVIVE TURNED SPORT INTO A SOAP OPERA. VIEWERS COULDN’T GET ENOUGH OF THE HUMAN DRAMA BEHIND THE RACES.

THAT MEANT IT WAS TIME TO SHIFT GEAR FROM THE USUAL CAR PORN, FOR A MORE HUMAN TAKE ON THE THRILLS & SPILLS OF F1.

The campaign drove 20% more upgrades than planned on the weekend of the first Grand Prix in Bahrain, as well as record average viewing of the opening race weekend. 43% of all Sports upgrades during race weekends were for the F1 channel pack.

The Meta campaign was hugely successful, with impressions 395% higher than the booked media and engagement rates 10 times the benchmark figures. Excellent view-through results drove 53 upgrades through the platform – over 3 times as many per week as during normal periods of activity. The ‘cost per acquisition’ was 1/7th of the benchmark figure, representing brilliant campaign efficiency.

The Email campaign, which went live ahead of the 2nd race in Saudi Arabia with a lower offer (£12 extra a month), drove 3 times more upgrades than the same communication in 2022.