As British racing unveils its new marketing strategy on Tuesday, it seems it will draw the line at cosying up too much to influencers, or “pseudo celebrities” as Simon Michaelides, the de facto chief executive of Great British Racing (GBR), called them last week.
Michaelides’s comments in the Racing Post appeared in the same article as a rundown of the record-breaking coverage of the 151st Kentucky Derby, sparked by influencer Griffin Johnson getting involved with Sandman, the second favourite in this year’s race, through the ‘A Stake in Stardom’ campaign. Johnson has 14 million followers across his platforms.
US sports broadcasting has a unique way of building anticipation and excitement, with flashy graphics, buzzing crowds and on-the-spot interviews all creating a sense of occasion that pulls people in. This was seen to great effect at Churchill Downs, where NBC embraced the noise and energy of the track, chatting to A-list celebrities and dropping the viewer straight into the thick of it.
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Published on 19 May 2025inAnother View
Last updated 14:31, 19 May 2025