Copy and content writing for Shelby Racing
Shelby Racing is an example of a Formula 1 team making its first ever appearance on the grid.
Shelby Racing is a British & American-owned and operated Formula 1 team that made its debut to the sport this year. Shelby Racing represents the partnership between two legacy automotive companies - One, a titan of British motorsport. The other, the foremost auto manufacturer in the U.S.A.
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The brand challenge for Shelby Racing was to cut through the headwinds facing its addition to the paddock. In a sport dominated by tradition and heritage - the addition of an anomalous 11th team was initially met with distain by press and fans, alike. Because of this, Shelby Racing was facing an uphill battle not just for fan support or merch sales, but for the sponsorship dollars that would fund their team's future calendar. Without plentiful prestige international brands to support the team, Shelby Racing would struggle to sustain itself during a costly F1 season, and, in the worst case scenario, force Shelby to leave the grid altogether. It was imperative to change the narrative of Shelby Racing from interloper to underdog - one that can have even the most traditional fan cheering.​
SHELBY RACING'S BRAND VOICE
Relentless / Forward-Focused / Strong / Hungry / Modern
THE STORY / BRAND STRATEGY​
Shelby Racing is the brainchild of former racing driver James Atkinson. His idea of a collaboration between the best of British heritage and American muscle has already established a successful run in the Indy Car and Endurance racing series, but has yet to break into Formula 1 - widely regarded as the pinnacle of motorsport.
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My plan for Shelby was twofold - Educate the F1 audience on Shelby's winning record and history of excellence in the lower racing series, then, position the team, its principle, and its drivers as the underdogs who will stop at nothing to prove they've earned their place on the grid. This telegraphs to the motorsport audience that Shelby understands their concerns via their entry to the paddock, and they will make it their mission to win races along with the allegiances of the crowd. And what better way to do that then to take them behind the curtain into the sport they love so much? This way, even if Shelby Racing doesn't lead in points, they will lead in the hearts of its audience - and with the audience comes the sponsors.
BEHIND THE SCENES / SHELBY RACING ON FILM​
Building the story of Shelby Racing was vital to the success of the team. The success of docuseries like Drive to Survive on Netflix has shown that motorsport enthusiasts and dabblers alike enjoy getting to know the wild world and charismatic drivers that inhabit the Formula 1 world. Because of this, I chose to focus a large portion of my efforts on video content - both longer-form "inside access" pieces and short social media-friendly posts. We put together several behind-the-scenes featurettes from Shelby's UK headquarters, wind tunnel testing at Silverstone, and the factory floor at Detroit's fabrication hub.
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In addition to the technical vignettes that cater to those already interested in motorsport, we also focused on highlighting three key figures on the Shelby race team: The two drivers and the team principle. For the drivers, (both in their early 20s), we allowed fans unprecedented access into their exciting lives on the road - utilizing 'day in the life' videos filmed by the drivers themselves, daily short-form interviews that showcase their personality by commenting on pop culture, and quick bites showing the drivers attempting different jobs on the team. Each of these videos containing a detailed outline of questions and arenas to follow to keep them upbeat and on message. These videos highlight the personality, quirks, and playfulness that come along with Shelby Racing's team, and lend themselves to shareability - essentially allowing the growing fanbase to advertise for us. For the team principle, we focused on the business and logistic side of the team - showcasing videos about the sheer amount of money spent, miles traveled, and crew jobs held from lead mechanic to traveling barista. The traveling circus atmosphere of the team and its willingness to allow fans behind the curtain to tell Shelby's story is a key to attracting new fans and change the hearts and minds of previously adverse enthusiasts.​​​
ENGAGING THE AUDIENCE
Because Shelby Racing approached the paddock with a spirit of openness in a sport that is often shrouded in secrecy, fans began to multiply for the team. We wanted to continue the good will gained with this underdog story by bring the fans into their garage... literally. Despite F1's calendar spanning the globe, its often the case that only those with large bank accounts can actually enjoy the races live. We decided that Shelby would take its underdog spirit on the road - traveling to large venues like music festivals, Indy and NASCAR races, and even 4th of July celebrations - to give fans a chance to see a race live. If they have what it takes. Shelby Racing took several pieces of driver training tech on the road and challenged fans to 'win a spot on the team.' The highest scorers in light reaction time tests, neck strength challenges, and tire gun speed will all win VIP passes to a race of their choosing. The perks include team meet-and-greets, paddock passes, and prime seating for the entire race weekend. ​This allows potential new fans to see how hard it is to become a racing driver while garnering excitement to see these drivers perform live. And, as a bonus, each of these winners will participate in team videos that provide more native, shareable social media content. ​​
24 Races
24 Chances to Win
Think you have what it takes to be a Shelby driver?
Prove it.
Now until October, our Shelby road team will be coming to a city near you to test your skills. Will you best the reaction light test? Do you have to neck strength to withstand 5G turns? And can you help perform a pit stop in under 2 seconds?
The ten highest scorers from each event will win 3-day VIP paddock passes to the Formula 1 race of their choice. Meet the drivers, walk the pit lane, wave the flag.
Shelby. Let us move you.
