Primary partner Martini teams up with Airbnb to offer a unique overnight stay in the Williams Martini Racing pit garage at the Silverstone F1 track ahead of the British Grand Prix on 15 July.
Williams Racing and its title sponsor Martini ran a once-in-a-lifetime-experience for a fan and their guest to spend the night in the team’s garage – including eating and drinking with the team, celebrating its 40th anniversary, as well as sleeping with the FW40 cars – the night before the 2017 Formula One Rolex British Grand Prix.
The winner will not just stay in the pit lane garage, but also meet the drivers and receive a guided garage tour from the team’s deputy team principal Claire Williams and scoop track-side seats at the big race the next day.
The prize spans travel and accommodation, transfers, food and drink, visa fees, £250 cash and a Martini gift pack spanning the whole trip from 14 to 16 July.
The garage space was transformed overnight from a bustling workplace into a peaceful bedroom: complete with curated works of Martini Racing Art on the walls and an expertly engineered bed ready for your speediest dreams
Think a few mechanics would appreciate a bed in the garage over a race weekend! @Martini_drinks @Airbnb #BritishGP #F1 #WeAreRacing pic.twitter.com/VxiUzWtCUS
— WILLIAMS RACING (@WilliamsRacing) July 16, 2017
Where's the best place to catch some sleep?
Hmmmm, we know…@Martini_drinks @Airbnb #Williams40 #BritishGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/kPh1f9325V
— WILLIAMS RACING (@WilliamsRacing) July 15, 2017
The competition, which was hubbed around the Airbnb contest page at https://www.airbnb.co.uk/night-at/wmrgarage, actually began back in April.
The property listing simply said:
“Formula 1 fans looking for a way to live out their passion, can now spend a night at the Williams Martini Racing garage at the 2017 Formula 1™ Rolex British Grand Prix, in Silverstone, England. Nestled between two Williams Martini Formula 1 cars, the bed will offer the ultimate headrest for a max power nap.”
The space was described as:
Room type: Private room
Bed type: Real Bed
Property type: Other
Accommodates: 2
Bedrooms: 1
Bathrooms: 1
Beds: 1
Check In: Anytime after 3PM
The posting itself comes complete with a set of House Rules:
– Always abide by the rules or you will incur a five-second penalty
– Please observe the local speed limit of approximately 80km/h in the pit lane
– No wearing a helmet in bed. Helmet hair is not a good daytime look
– Ear plugs may be required when tuning is in practice
– In colder weather, tyre warmers will be provided. Do not use your own.
– No flag waving. This may distract your neighbours
– No pets. We find the loud engines scare them
– No sleepwalking. The nearby pit lane can be a very busy area of track
The competition was promoted socially by brand, partner and team.
You can spend a night in the @WilliamsRacing garage at the #BritishGP @Silverstone with @Martini_drinks & @AirBnb –
https://t.co/hKYXFZuRcq pic.twitter.com/4naFrOBYd7— WILLIAMS RACING (@WilliamsRacing) April 29, 2017
The competition ran from 27 April to 16 May for race fans over 25-years-of-age and a resident of either Belgium, Italy, Germany, Russia, Spain or the UK.
To enter, Williams fan, Martini drinkers and or petrol heads were simply invited to sign in with an Airbnb account, go to the Williams Martini Racing garage competition listing page and click on the ‘Enter to Win’ button and then submit a creative story in 100 words or less ‘explaining what they love about racing and why they should be the lucky one chosen to stay the night at the Williams Martini Racing Garage’.
The winners were chosen by a panel of judges comprised of members of the marketing teams of Airbnb and Martini and one independent judge and picked on merit based on originality and creativity.
“It’s amazing what Martini has done for racing since its return to Formula One. They really understand the joy and passion of the sport – and celebrate it on and off the track. For me, the Williams Martini Racing garage has always felt like a home away from home and I can’t wait to welcome the winners at Silverstone this summer,” says driver Felipe Massa.
“At Martini, we’re not just a racing sponsor, we’re race fans. Aside from driving an F1 car, spending a night in the garage is like waking up in your own racing dream,” explains Bacardi global head of creative excellence Zara Mirza.
Activative Comment:
On race weekends pit garages are tightly restricted and usually the preserve of drivers, mechanics and the elite F1 circle and super star guests, but at the heart of this campaign Martini aims to celebrate the joy of racing by opening its garage doors.
This is one of several interesting Martini F1 marketing moves this season – as well as the usual track-side hospitality activations –
Loving the view from the roof of our @Martini_drinks Terrazza at the #HungarianGP pic.twitter.com/3FjjY8C5cy
— WILLIAMS RACING (@WilliamsRacing) July 27, 2017
another of the Bacardi-owned brand’s stand out initiatives this year saw it rework one of its famous, 2009 giant billboard ads for the Monaco Grand Prix.
Martini has been backing motorsport in various guises since 1968 when Martini Racing was first formed.
Indeed, the drinks brand was one of the first non-motorsport brands ever to sponsor a racing team.
Martini returned to racing’s elite apex when it signed up as title sponsor of British owned Williams F1 team in 2014: its previous involvement with F1 was with as an official partner of Scuderia Ferrari from 2006 to 2008.
Williams is a leading F1 team and advanced engineering company. Formed in 1977 by Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head, the team has secured 16 FIA Formula One World Championship titles since then.
In fact, the initiative also coincides with the team celebrating its 40th anniversary and the accompanying launch of the Williams biopic.
You can now book to see #WilliamsFilm in cinemas, or with @CurzonAtHome, or online. Visit https://t.co/WZGdrE2Nnw to book your viewing! pic.twitter.com/v3W8CXaz4u
— WILLIAMS RACING (@WilliamsRacing) July 24, 2017
WIN a limited edition #WilliamsFilm poster signed by Claire Williams. Enter here: https://t.co/Sgq98AMLG3 @CurzonAtHome @ArtificialEye pic.twitter.com/Lwk5f8bFKp
— WILLIAMS RACING (@WilliamsRacing) July 27, 2017
The Martini and Airbnb ‘Night At’ the Williams Martini Racing garage is actually just the latest in Airbnb’s ‘Night At’ series – which sees guests stay in iconic locations around the world.
Other sports events in the series include a pitchside bedroom at the Audi Cup in Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena (https://www.airbnb.co.uk/night-at/audicup).
So cool! 1-night AirBnB on the sideline of the Allianz Arena during the Audi Cup. #airbnb #allianzarena https://t.co/G26aAJUdsr
— Andrew B. Wiese (@andrewbwiese) July 17, 2017
While perhaps the most famous and multi-award winning partnership initiative saw Airbnb team up with the Art Institute Of Chicago last year to promote its Van Gogh Exhibition by recreating the artists famous bedroom painting and renting it out for nights via the Airbnb site.
Links:
AirBnB
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/night-at/wmrgarage
Martini
https://twitter.com/Martini_drinks
https://www.facebook.com/martiniracingteam/
Williams F1
https://www.facebook.com/WilliamsF1Team/
