There were two significant announcements last week with regards to sponsorship of female drivers, further underlining the opportunities that brands are seeing in supporting women in motorsport. In the US, it was revealed that Katherine Legge will take to the track for her fourth Indy 500 at the end of May with Dale Coyne Racing, backed by E.L.F. BEAUTY as her primary sponsor. Having supported Legge in a smaller capacity in the past, this will represent the first time a beauty brand has served as the primary sponsor of a driver in the Indy 500 in the race's 100+ year history. On the domestic UK motorsport scene, Porsche Sprint Challenge GB driver Caitlin Wood will be supported by Mattel, Inc.'s Barbie during the 2024 season. As well as carrying the brand on her car's livery, the partnership will see ten young girls invited to each race weekend, with Caitlin also due to visit schools and universities to promote careers in STEM. These announcements, alongside the groundbreaking Charlotte Tilbury Beauty partnership in F1 Academy, not only show the growing appetite of brands to support women in motorsport, but also how increased female participation can open up new commercial opportunities for the sport with non-endemic brands. More than Equal's research survey exploring the gender gap in motorsport found that 46% of respondents think more highly of companies that support women in sport, and brands need only look to the likes of the WSL and the WNBA, to name just two, to see the growth opportunities that exist. #motorsport #womeninmotorsport #womeninsport #sportsbiz
Love this! Have you tried leveraging influencer collaborations with micro and macro influencers to amplify these partnerships?
Owner of J & S Motorsports, LLC
6moNeed those marketing partners to be long-term to be effective. One event is a baby step. Spot sponsorships are not working. Hopefully those and other corporations will step up to a long-term partnership(s) to give women drivers a LEGITIMATE opportunity.