Red Bull Racing kick-starts the new Formula One championship with a campaign revolving around the season opening Australian Grand Prix that sees its drivers race one another in high-speed dinghies.
The racing team’s marketers took Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen down to Melbourne’s famous Yarra River, which runs right through the middle of the city, to compete against one another in supercharged Aussie dinghies.
These are actually the same type of boats that race in South Australia’s ‘Red Bull Dinghy Derby’ – thus the team’s race promotion also acts as a campaign for another brand-owned, high octane Red Bull property.
These lightweight, flat bottomed boats are powered by race spec 30bhp engines that propel them at speeds of up to 90kph.
The driving duo raced laps up and down the river circuit in yet another Red Bull speed stunt ahead of the weekend’s Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne’s Albert Park circuit.
A video of the speedboat stunt was posted on the team’s YouTube channel on 22 March (ahead of the race weekend)
The speed boat stunt was merely the spearhead local stunt of Red Bull’s race-relevant marketing programme around the Aussie GP.
For race fans across the world, another strand of the new season campaign used Red Bull’s digital and social platforms to allow petrol heads an insight into how Red Bull Racing’s drivers are prepped for Grand Prix action
This initiative shows just how Ricciardo and Verstappen dial down the stress levels before the Melbourne GP and it includes a focus on music – thus linking to the driver’s exclusive Spotify playlist of the key tunes he’ll listen to in the build-up to the Australian Grand Prix.
‘It’s always good to be back on home soil and enjoy a bit of sunshine after winter testing,’ explains Ricciardo.
‘But it’s also super busy and full on, the week for me starts on Monday and doesn’t stop until Sunday night. I try and attend as many events as I can but I’m still there to do a job. My home race is awesome in so many ways.’
While Verstappen, who’s debut F1 race was in Melbourne in 2015, claims to have enjoyed coming to Melbourne ever since.
‘The first race is always exciting, as you never really know where you are in terms of performance with the car because everything is so new,” said the Dutchman. “This is reflected in the paddock too; it’s a refreshing feeling. Being Daniel’s home grand prix he obviously gets a lot of support, which is very nice for him. I can’t wait to feel the buzz of all the cars going out for the first practice and seeing the excitement on everyone’s face.’
Both drivers also offered up a scalextric style, comic ‘Slot Car’ video guide to the Albert Park circuit ahead of the race in a spot released on the team’s digital and social channels on 24 March.
These videos were pushed across the team’s digital and social platforms.
ICYMI: Bringing the thunder, down under with @redbullau
Full https://t.co/uUpEW9b4ne #givesyouwings pic.twitter.com/6UCL57LkNx— Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) March 23, 2017
Albert Park – The model circuit!
Join @danielricciardo and @Max33verstappen for a track guide like no other. #AusGP @RedBullMotors pic.twitter.com/pnfC0snNyC— Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) March 24, 2017
While the team also ran a ‘Get Ready To Race’ spot (http://www.redbullracing.com/video/daniel-ricciardo-gets-ready-race) and a post-race social Q&A with Ricciardo
Taking questions from the Albert Park floor @danielricciardo #AusGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/SCAJu2LldB
— Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) March 27, 2017
and a race review, an image gallery, plus a guide to Assuie slangs and an Australia true or false contest – among other assets and content pieces – on its digital hub at http://www.redbullracing.com/.
While in real-time through the race weekend the team rolled out social media pieces – from Gifs and clips, to images and fan assets – relating to the action as it unfolded on the track.
Finally… It's the first Race Day of the 2017 season!
Let's do this #AusGP pic.twitter.com/zNjUZdsJaD— Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) March 25, 2017
5 place grid penalty makes for a simple strategy: foot to the floor and gloves up! #AusGP pic.twitter.com/ibpjatDid0
— Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) March 26, 2017
"Even when I stopped they were still cheering and shouting my name." @danielricciardo's #AusGP reaction https://t.co/DMvnYqUE6K pic.twitter.com/W3VaEik2re
— Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) March 26, 2017
Activative Comment:
Both the slot car circuit guide and the speedboat spot generated around 15,000 views each o YouTube views.
While the team’s official car launch video – themed round breaking superstitions and traditions because this year’s car is the RB13 – has notched up more than 111,000 YouTube views since it was initially posted on 26 February.
All these view metrics seem surprisingly low when compared to the blockbuster statistics racked up by other mega Red Bull stunt social videos (the incomparable ‘Red Bull Stratos’ stunt has now been viewed more than 450 million times).
The speed boat stunt spot isn’t the only new F1 season marketing campaign built around drivers in a whacky race: another example of this activation approach is McLaren sponsor and premium sparkling wine brand Chandon’s ‘Unexpected Race’ through its own vineyards featuring remote control cars, drones and virtual reality (see case study).
Links:
Red Bull Racing
https://www.youtube.com/user/redbullracing
https://twitter.com/redbullracing
https://www.instagram.com/redbullracing/
https://www.facebook.com/redbullracing
