Formula One rebrands to focus on fans


Formula One has rebranded this week, changing its logo for the first time in 23 years to coincide with the close of the season and mark a new era for the sport, which is looking to put fans back in pole position.
The rebrand is based on research conducted in April this year, which
found that fans’ perception of the sport was that the glory days were behind
them. The early 90s in particular were cited at those heady days when Formula
One was at its best, with the likes of Nigel Mansell on the track. The sport
was now perceived to be much more about cars and business as opposed to the
fans.
This, coupled with the fact that audience figures for Formula One have been in steady decline, with worldwide viewing figures falling by 10 million in 2016, meant that Formula One had to make some changes. The rebrand, therefore, has been designed to reposition Formula One as a sport that resonates more with its fans.
This informed the new visual identity, created by Wieden+Kennedy London, which echoes the shape of a Formula 1 car: ‘flat, low to the ground and with a suggestion of speed’.
‘The new marque aims to embody the core forces of Formula 1 racing: speed, attack, and control; while its sleek, sharp interlocking components celebrate the technical prowess of Formula 1 engineering teams,’ says Richard Turley, executive creative director of content and design at Wieden+Kennedy. ‘It’s aesthetic is aspirational and leans into the future, but extends naturally from a rich heritage of motorsport graphics.’
But
Norman has moved far beyond thinking just about graphics. She’s thinking about
all of the senses, not just sight. She has even thought about smell. ‘Sense of
smell has the strongest memory linkage,’ she says. ‘You go into a Viceroy hotel
and you know the smell. From my perspective, it’s doing the full 360, scent,
sonic identity, tone of voice, taking those elements to reassociate people with
the positive feelings they associate with Formula One.’
This
isn’t Formula One’s first attempt to bring the experience of Formula One closer
to home for its fans. Formula One have implemented a number of new programmes
since its takeover by Liberty Media in January.
It
has established dedicated FanZones at each of its races, where fans can take
part in Pitstop Challenges, which simulate the experience of a Formula One
pitstop. They can also test their driver fitness - drivers experience a high
level of G-Force around the racetrack and have to have incredible reaction
times. All of the experiences in the FanZone are designed to helps fans
comprehend much more of the elements of Formula One racing.
The
sport recognises of course that it has to take these experiences out on the
road, as it were. More than 100,000
visitors attended F1 Live London in July, experiencing an immersive, live event
designed to give fans unique access to the world of Formula One. Norman says
that they tried to create a festival feel and have plans to take the show on
the road again to four major cities, including Berlin and Shanghai.
According
to Formula One, the initiatives have already made a difference, even this early
on. This season’s Grand Prix attendance has increased, as have digital and TV
figures. The rebrand is hoped to continue those improvements.
For
Norman, the rebrand means an opportunity to reconnect with fans. Whether that’s
in person at races or on digital platforms which the sport is planning to
relaunch in March, Norman notes that the aim is to drive forward a new
association with Formula One for fans, that will break down the barriers and
bring out a more compelling narrative.
‘It
was clear we were going to need to address some fundamentals of our brand, if
we were to realise our ambition to make Formula 1 a major entertainment player
and claim our rights to be the global media brand we should be,’ she says.
‘What we say and do now is so important for our future, but it must always be
driven by our fans. They come first.’