In late October, leveraging its sponsorship Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team around the US and Mexico Grand Prix, UBS organised a visit to the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team factory for three school kids interested in STEM subjects – including a special surprise meeting with super star driver Lewis Hamilton.
The global wealth management company arranged for three pupils from a primary school in Camden – chosen for their interest in STEM subjects and desire for a career in the engineering and automotive industries – for a factory tour
They were shown round the Brackley factory and introduced to the various design and engineering roles key to delivering a championship winning car before the tour finished with a special surprise meeting with Lewis Hamilton who had been with them on the tour heavily disguised as an engineer. After removing his mask and make-up, Hamilton sat down with the trio to talk about the importance of education, equality of opportunity in science and engineering and the importance a positive mental attitude and dedication.
The visit was filmed and then deployed as a campaign titled ‘Welcome To The Hamilton Engineering School’ with film and image content amplified across the sponsor and team digital platforms from 27 October.
The initiative is one strand of UBS’s ongoing investment into quality education for young people in the UK led by the ‘UBS Community Affairs’ program which focuses on education and includes co-founding and supporting The Bridge Academy in Hackney since 2003.
It is also part of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team’s increased commitment to the education of young people through a several programs including a partnership with the Mulberry Trust group of schools supporting their STEM education programs with masterclasses, workshops and vocational training creating a pipeline of young and diverse talent from the schools’ East London catchment area.
Hamilton also recently announced a partnership with Teach First, which has set out to support the recruitment of 150 Black STEM teachers to work in schools serving disadvantaged communities in England.
“Education I know is key for every child and we’re in a time more than ever before where we need to make sure we’re providing opportunities and also enabling the younger generation to understand what they are. There are a lot of youngsters who don’t realize that being an engineer, for example, is an avenue that they can go down,” said Hamilton. “We’re really trying to have a positive impact on the people that we meet, in particular the youth, and I’m proud of the things we are doing together.”
“This is a mindset that fits with our own beliefs,” added UBS CMO Johan Jervoe. “Education is critical to inspire and empower young people from any background, thereby helping to forge a more equal society.”
The campaign was created for UBS CMO Johan Jervoe by production company Whisper where the team included Executive Producer Sunil Patel, Director Sunny Bahia and Editor Tim Fernandez.
Social media and digital activation was handled by The Tom Sawyer Effect and online PR via Viral Seeding.
Comment
UBS has been a partner of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team since 2011 in an alliance which, according to the financial giant, ‘reflects the values UBS shares with the team: a commitment to innovation, talent and teamwork driving performance and success’.
Who doesn’t like a good under-cover, heavy make-up, sports star disguise stunt spot?
This is a tried and tested approach and follows in the footsteps of some of our favourite previous iterations of this kind of tactic such as Natwest’s 2011’s ‘Secret Cricketer’, 2015’s classic ‘Uncle Drew’ series (which became a movie) and 2017’s #MagicOfBarca.
But, as well as the classic knowing humour and the shock-and-awe reveal moment, this one offers an extra strand in that it is supporting an educational cause element.
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