Williams Racing and THG sign ‘ground-breaking’ deal between great British brands
A new partnership between THG and Williams Racing has been described as a partnership of two great British brands by the historic Formula One team’s commercial director.
The multi-year deal will see THG’s sports nutrition brand Myprotein become Williams Racing’s official nutrition partner, whilst Ingenuity – THG’s complete digital commerce offering – will become an official tech and ecommerce partner of the iconic racing brand.
THG Eco, the Manchester-based company’s sustainable solutions consultancy, will become an official sustainability partner and work with Williams on the racing team’s carbon footprint.
James Bower, Williams Racing’s Commercial Director, told City PM that the team was “proud to partner with a leading British brand.
“THG is synonymous with innovation and it’s exciting that the partnership will tap into three parts of the business.”
Myprotein will support Williams Racing – which has won 9 constructors’ championships in its almost fifty-year history – with products and knowhow to maximise and enhance the team’s athletic performance.
The Grand Prix in Qatar earlier this month saw a number of drivers affected by heat exhaustion as they raced in the desert climate.
“It really shows these are elite athletes performing right at the edge and some of these events take them over that edge,” Bower said. “The holistic opportunity on wellness (with Myprotein) is something we’re really excited about.
“There’s real competitive advantage to the relationship,” he continued, which is expected to see both of the legacy brands deliver elite performance through data-driven technology.
THG chief-executive Matt Moulding described the partnership as “a merging of expertise to drive THG and Williams Racing towards a future defined by innovation and sustainability.”
As part of the multi-year partnership, both Myprotein and Ingenuity branding will be present on the FW45 race cars and in the team environment, including driver race suits and Williams Racing team kit.
ATTRACTING NEW FANS
The partnership will also see Ingenuity manage the fulfilment of Williams Racing’s ecommerce merchandise, improving speed to market and overall efficiency.
Interest in Formula One has never been higher, with Bower hailing a “new golden era” for the racing series off the back of new interest across the world.
Netflix’s Drive to Survive, a behind-the-scenes look into the lives of drivers, team principals and a host of personalities across the sport, has been credited with boosting the awareness and popularity of the sport particularly in the United States.
“I’ve been in Formula One for 16 years and we always used to talk of a global sport but there was always a piece where the US wasn’t really strong enough, but now it’s a huge part of our growth,” Bower said.
As one of the three biggest legacy brands on the circuit – alongside McLaren and Ferrari – Williams has seen a recent explosion in fans that aligns with its plans to push its cars further up the leaderboard. The partnership with THG aligns that legacy with what Bower called “one of the great British business success stories of the last twenty years.”
Ingenuity will power the brand’s efforts to engage that growing fanbase through e-commerce.
“It will underpin our merchandise and ecommerce engagement with global fans, which will increase the quality of the experience for our fans and help us retain and grow the value of our fans. That’s another layer of this commercial relationship,” he continued.
PUSHING FORWARD
Williams Racing’s ownership is committed to driving higher performance on the track and Bower is clear that corporate partnerships are a key part of doing that.
“We’re really excited that THG is joining us on that journey to rebuild Williams,” he tells me.
Moulding said last night: “In a world where nutrition fuels performance, technology drives innovation and sustainable practices protect our environment, THG is perfectly positioned to bring our expertise to Formula 1 – the pinnacle of global motorsport.”
THG owns City PM