Among the many sporting gems next weekend which could catch your imagination, one might be the start of the Formula One season in Melbourne.
This year for the first time, the sport is running a global advertising campaign to capture people’s attention.
The ad features all the elements of the sport that occasional fans tune in for, like spectacular crashes, and also puts fans in the frame by subjecting six of them to some of the forces that a driver will experience. Though not the crashes.
We are fortunate here to have major sporting bodies that realise the value and the need for promotion of the sport but Formula One has always seen itself as being too big to be involved in selling itself.
This campaign marks a significant shift and will likely be backed up by better digital and online content which will move the sport and its stars to more of a centre stage this year.
The new owners Liberty Global, who also own TV3 here as part of Virgin Media, are intent on working to make the sport have a wider appeal than just to die-hard fans.
This is a good acceleration from a standing start. The ad is appearing online, on TV in selected markets as well as on billboards and in traditional media around the world.
Sign up today for our free daily news digest covering the commercial world of sport or discover the benefits of becoming a full member alongside the many leading organisations whom we serve.
