Swisse Wellness continues to use sports sponsorship as a key pillar of its global expansion strategy and is activating its new ‘official supplier’ status with the Scuderia Ferrari racing team via an integrated, international campaign rolling out around the first F1 race of the season.
In the days leading up to the Australian GP, the brand’s home race is conveniently the season opener, Swisse Wellness began rolling out a multi-platform, multi-market activation called ‘Power Your Passion’.
The new communications and marketing strategy, which leverages the tie-up across Australia, China, USA and New Zealand, initially began on 24 February when Scuderia Ferrari unveiled its new SF70H F1 car in its home town of Maranello (Italy).
The livery for the upcoming 2017 Formula 1 season car included the Swisse Wellness logo for the first time.
The team itself amplified the launch event socially and via a livestream.
What, where and when. The car launch is around the corner, keep on track: https://t.co/x86z2HhzWS pic.twitter.com/blNoZ08b59
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) February 21, 2017
The final touches. pic.twitter.com/P6SWAncmta
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) February 23, 2017
All is set. We are now live here: https://t.co/J9v440Jtje
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) February 24, 2017
To leverage the new alliance,
Mid March saw Swisse Wellness start rolling an integrated communications and marketing strategy leveraging the partnership across Australia, China, USA and New Zealand.
The ‘Power Your Passion’ campaign, developed in harness with agency Noisy Beast and production company Collider, aims to highlight the ‘shared passion’ and ‘commitment’ the two global brands have to ‘creating world-class products’.
The campaign is spearheaded by a central 60-second TV commercial initially airing in Australia on Network Ten and running throughout this weekend’s coverage of the Australian Grand Prix.
It was also simultaneously posted on the brand’s YouTube channel on 23 March.
The spot, which pushes viewers to the brand’s new Ferrari partnership digital hub at https://swisse.com/scuderia-ferrari, is supported by an additional set of videos focusong on the role of health, wellness and fitness at the Ferrari team and fornted by Scuderia Ferrari Team’s sport physician Dr Fred Fernando.
The three part online video series, also posted on 23 March, come in both 30-second
and 15-second cut downs.
The spots, which were filmed in Ferrari’s hometown of Maranello last month, will also air during Australian broadcasts of the International Grand Prix’s throughout 2017.
The deal and the campaign activation is also being amplified socially – linked with the #Swisse #LiveHealthyBeHappy #Swissepoweringdreams hashtags – including content on Instagram
and the Australian GP activation includes a trackside (ish) branded space at the season opening Australian GP, plus a social media competition
and hot lap track experiences.
WIN a hot lap in the #AusGP Two-seater presented by Swisse at this year’s Australian Grand Prix? Sign up now – https://t.co/FCaje6yp4n
— Swisse Wellness (@SwisseAU) January 31, 2017
We cannot wait for @DylanAlcott to experience a hot lap around Albert Park in our @SwisseAU two seater on Sunday! #poweryourpassion https://t.co/GNpsmAtlKO
— Swisse Wellness (@SwisseAU) March 23, 2017
There is some matching content promotion from the team itself.
Aussie beauty Brooke Hogan following #FP2 with us #AusGP pic.twitter.com/PVlH6ep8cS
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) March 24, 2017
(the latter tweet perhaps demonstrating that, despite the new F1 regime, there are still far too many old school, male, sexist attitudes around the sport).
The aim for Swisse is that the Scuderia Ferrari partnership will be another ‘transformational ingredient’ in its current global marketing strategy: which aims to raise awareness to consumers worldwide and both support and drive the brand’s growth and expansion into new markets, raising awareness.
‘This partnership celebrates the values that make Swisse Wellness so successful; pure passion, a devoted team committed to seeking the best ingredients to engineer a world class product and drive to achieve our mission of making billions of people around the world healthier and happier,’ explains Swisse Wellness managing director Oliver Horn.
‘We are delighted to be partnering with Scuderia Ferrari, the most successful Formula One team in history. We are also delighted to be launching the partnership in Melbourne, the home of Swisse’s global head office. It’s a great celebration for the brand and recognition for our wonderful team.’
The brand then plans to follow up its home Grand Prix work by moving from Melbourne to Shanghai to launch the partnership in China in early April.
Activative Comment:
With a new regime in place and a seemingly more open approach by the new rights holder to team-led social media content, there is much speculation (and no little hope_) that this will be a big year for F1 and there will be plenty of change in terms of marketing and activation.
As an ‘official supplier’, Swisse becomes one of 11 second tier Ferrari F1 backers, along with its 11 top tier sponsor and four third tier suppliers.
Other key sports sponsorships in the Swisse marketing portfolio include a partnership with the Australian Paralympic team (see case study) and ambassador led work in tennis (with Leyton Hewitt – see case study) and cricket (with Ricky Ponting – see case study).
Links:
https://www.youtube.com/user/SwisseWellness
https://www.facebook.com/swisse.uk/?brand_redir=104778126260506
https://www.instagram.com/swisseau/
Noisy Beast
Scuderia Ferrari Formula One Team
http://formula1.ferrari.com/en/
https://twitter.com/ScuderiaFerrari
