The race for a World Championship and Brand Image

Credit: Mark Thompson/Getty Images

Every Sunday, for 8 months, I sit down for 2 hours to watch 20 cars race around a track all with the goal to achieve the most points possible for themselves and their team. The sport which has taken the world by storm, with its 20 drivers, 10 teams, year long calendar and electric atmosphere, this experience has to be none other than Formula One.

The first ever Formula 1 Grand Pix (with the launch of the driver's world championship) was in 1950 at Silverstone, a circuit still used today. Since then the sport has widely expanded with the further introduction of F2, F3, newly departed W-Series and most recently the F1 Academy. Along side this expansion has been the development of marketing strategies from both Formula 1 as a company and within the 10 teams, which has played a major part in influencing the increased popularity of the sport.  

For me personally, I firstly gained interest in the F1 through an awareness of the sport on social media. Each week my Instagram feed would be filled with an abundance of practice, qualifying and race day highlights for around a year, however, due to the lack of ability to watch any grand prix, since I was not subscribed Sky Sports, my interest did not fully peak till later. Finally, after explaining my curiosity to my family about the sport I was made aware that this entire time I had indeed had access to Sky Sports, despite thinking otherwise, thus finally ending a year long debacle of should I, shouldn't I subscribe. I even remember fully before watching my first official race at home, I sat down with my dad and watched the first few episodes of Drive to Survive, in order to give myself somewhat of an understanding of the actual drivers and team principals. Having a parent also interested in learning about the sport did help me in increasing my confidence to talk about my opinions around f1 as my passion grew, with both of us facetiming on Sundays, when I first moved to uni, so we could watch the grand prix together, desperately attempting to line our screens up at the same time. Whilst, I'm pretty sure at the start my dad only started to watch the races as a way to have a shared interest for the both of us, I can now confirm he is a full on fan girl. But what does this have anything to do with marketing?? Well.. short answer really, I happen to be a Business and Management Student. For a long time now I've been able to recognise tactics used purposefully in order to influence target groups into using a product or service. And yes while that does sound long winded and a bit boring, trust me it has the opportunity to be anything but that. Now back to Formula 1 and its marketing methods with in its companies.

Companies within Formula 1 do in fact benefit from the sport despite some teams making an overall loss in contrast to money invested into F1, compared to earnings from merchandise, due to the brand awareness that comes from being a team name. For example, each company has no specific fit, Red Bull is a drink company, while Ferrari is a car and fashion company and yet they both gain an advantage from their brand being so publicised in the sport. This can be presented through the 11.3 million followers Scuderia Ferrari has on Instagram and the 10 million followers Red Bull Racing has gained, which encourages consumption of the brand from fans following the sport. Merchandise moreover brings public awareness to the company and logo even if passersby are unaware of what F1 actually is, just from reminding others of the brands.

Another part of formula one and its marketability, in concern to logos and branding, has to do with the car itself and the fire suits and helmets of drivers. Formula one cars are distinct, with each team having special liveries for each year and even sometimes for special races, like Monza for Ferrari. This is important as it makes the car and its driver stand out to watchers, who are potential customers to the teams. The ability for drivers to customise their helmets moreover adds to this, as teams are able to sell replicas of the helmets at the same or at a smaller scale, and make money off of these purchases. This also adds to the popularity of drivers when fans are interested in seeing the designs used, especially when they are customised for a certain race or country.Cars and fire suits also hold a lot of branding from sponsorships, which are needed for teams to able to afford being apart of formula 1.  They are clearly displayed as both and are useful as a mutual marketing strategy for both companies, with the f1 team having more money towards being able to race and the companies having a consistent and obvious placed logo, which can encourage viewers to buy their products or services.

Another thing that helps influence consumerism in formula 1 is through merchandise, the use of distinct shirts and outfits, which the drivers themselves are seen in consistently, help influence viewers to purchase the same products due to the attachment. Moreover, drivers having their own merchandise can create the same effect, as fans of individual drivers, in an attempt to connect with the person they admire, will buy the products they suggest. For example, Daniel Ricciardo's Enchante line and Alex Albon's aa23 line. This can led onto the idea of the marketability of drivers. In most circumstances you would create the idea that the more successful a driver is the more popular they become for example, 7 time world champion Lewis Hamilton with his 23.8 million followers and 2 time world champion Max Verstappen with his 10.5 million followers. But a debate is created when drivers like Charles Leclerc, who is yet to win a world championship and has spent less time in f1 than Max, has 12.3 million followers. Another example, is 7 time world champion Sebastian Vettel only has 3 million followers, however some of this can be attributed to the fact he only joined instagram back in the middle of 2022. The reason for this?? Well multiple factors. For one Lewis Hamilton is well known beyond the f1 world for example with his charity work and his fashion on and off track. Moreover, the use of social media has inherently caused a mass increase of popularity and awareness of drivers and therefore their teams. With apps like TikTok massing billions of views for the sport and for drivers, and in every sense a free marketing strategy. The increase in followers and popularity of the sport can also be explained by the large young population on such apps who are then encouraged to learn more about f1 and their teams. However, within the increased viewerships there has become an underlying prejudice and attachment towards female fans. With the idea that the increased number of female watchers are as a result of the attractiveness of the male drivers, which has strong misogynistic undertones and sexualises drivers, who are in every sense, there to drive. 

However, despite past undertones f1 is catering itself to a more increased and inclusive audience on and off track. For example with more female presenters like Naomi Schiff, Natalie Pinkman and Lissie Mackintosh. The encouragement of women on track with creation of the f1 Academy which will have every team livery on track for 2024 season to encourage an increased number of women who can make it to f1 through f4, f3 and f2. Moreover, with children the creation of an easier program viewing of the races to help them better understand and be interested in the f1 and with the charities that drivers and teams publicly support, which encourage diversity and inclusivity. This counts as a marketing strategy as it makes those who did not not feel like the sport catered to them even as a viewer more involved, which then leads to increasing use of their products and services.

The use of people as marketing techniques has further expanded within social media through the use of influencers, youtubers and podcasters who create a positive association to the sport and may be more accessible to certain people then learning directly from the source. Again for example, Lissie mackintosh and in addition screaming meals and the pit stop boys. The use of celebrities as well increases popularity with places like Monaco and the US GP bringing a mass amount of famous people straight to f1. This increases viewship as fans of said celebrities can become interested not only in the sport but also in the team they may have been invited by. With interviews directly with the drivers and the celebs, and interviews on paddock walks bringing a lot of awareness to the sport.

Another large marketing strategy is through the use of film and TV. Driver to survive is a documentary series which has brought a mass amount of popularity to the sport as it shows the inside lifes of drivers and teams. The added drama sense, though sometimes dramatised for viewer enjoyability, does bring an awareness to f1. With people becoming fans of teams and drivers due to the success but also due to how drivers' personalities are displayed on screen. Moreover, f1 has been displayed in the media with movies like Iron Man 2 , Murder Mystery and Rush, whether f1 may be the man focus of the movie or not it brings popularity due to the famous attached names. For example, Robert Downey Jr, Jennifer Anniston, Adam Sandler, Chris Hemsworth and more. Furthermore, the new f1 film has brought wide focus on the sport, with Brad Pitt starring as a lead character, with Silverstone even having them join the drivers in the national anthem. 

Overall, F1's popularity has increased as a result of a multitude of reasons not only with the sport regulations but with the marketing of drivers, teams and the sport itself, which brings a positive outcome financially for f1 to continue on successfully for many years to come.