I've read the article, i've read the quotes, i'm not incensed in any way.
The interview is here:
http://www.campaignasia.com/Article/392 ... brand.aspxI've gone over each Q&A, my opinions are below, feel free to disagree with me or ignore me.
What does the Formula One brand stand for?That's a good anwser. F1 is a major sports and entertainment brand. With odd tyres, DRS, complex qualifying and other aspects F1 can appear more techincal to a casual fan than other major brands. Though football (US incl) has it's own complexities at least fans can play it and underestand it better.
How can you bring more of the entertainment factor into Formula One?Doesn't admit but he really doesn't know. Acknowledges F1 has more competition these days. (Frankly another business would highlight the crap out of their high points and succesess, but F1 instead focuses and thrives on negativity.)
Is Formula One in crisis?True. Crisis', controversy and complaining have been part of F1 for as long as i remember. Shrinking of the grid is a consequence of more expensive technology being developed which not all teams can afford. Teams already in heavy debt are particularly hard hit, though some are exaggerating and all accepted to be part of it.
As for teams who "sit at the poker table" without having as much money as the big players, the analogy doesn't work because poker only has one winner, the rest are out. There are no payouts to all participants either. He is right to point out that playing a game you cant afford while only hoping for a miracle hand is suicide.
Are you concerned about struggling teams and the impact this will have on F1?Again, teams such as HRT, Caterham, Marussia and Sauber have been in a precarious position for a number of years now. It's their own choice to be in F1, even though success for them is very hard and expensive to come by.
He is ignoring the threat a reduced field would have on earnings, and that team failures would make potential newcomers to the grid think twice before joining up. Then again it might make newcomers more serious, better financed or supported by a major manufacturer right from the start. Or he's already thinking ahead to customer teams and genuinely belives there's no long term loss.
Hass' entry into F1 will be an interesting one. Like going into a minefield with a "best guess" map in hand.
Has Formula One become an impossibly expensive sport to be involved in?The answer to this is yes, but he instead misdirects the answer.
"To be involved in" you don't need to be impossibly rich, but so much will be spent on surviving that competing will be very difficult. Force India have proven it can be done to a certain extent, but every year they lose out in the development race.
"Just dont spend as much" = Settle for 5th or 8th or whatever you can reach without taking out loans.
I'll skip the questions about Asia for the most part but the point about F1 giving countries Olympics-like exposure every year is a solid one. Though it directly and firmly places "sport" in the backseat to "business" but given how expensive F1 is today, the money has to come from somewhere and he found a lot of it in Asia.
The comparison between F1 and football is again a valid point. Every kid can play football, karting is already out of reach of many kids pockets. Of course it doesn't anwser how F1 can compete with football, but i'm not sure he knows or thinks it neccesary.
What is the trend in sponsorship that you’ve seen in recent years?Again compares F1 to oplympics that happen every few weeks. Wants sponsors to invest big into F1 rather than small amounts into lots of smaller sports teams. Neither right or wrong, just convenient for his business. Claims F1 offers a better opportunity because of it's massive audience. Ok.
How much do the teams depend on sponsorship?Straightforward.
How much does F1 need sponsors, versus broadcasting rights or race fees?If
"cut our costs" means reduced prize money major teams might be unhappy about that because of the amounts they spend on competition. However major teams and CVC form the Strategy Group and they'd know in advance of the problem and would work around it.
What does a major brand such as Rolex get for its Formula One sponsorship that other sports properties can’t offer?Pretty straightforward anwser. Makes a point how it's up to sponsors to make use of their investment and praises Rolex and Red Bull in particular for doing a good job. Ok...
What’s the secret to Red Bull’s marketing success?"keeps his brand in front of the public all the time" ... yadda yadda, more straightforward stuff.
Could Formula One benefit from marketing itself more?"What could we say to people? It’s pretty obvious what we produce and what we do. Either people like it and buy or don’t like it." Straightforward as before. Adds that he is taking flack for declining TV audiences, then deflects it by saying viewership is down for all sports and audiences have more to choose from. Also indirectly and very ambiguously ackgnowledges that a lot of people figured out how to watch F1 without "officially" watching it (and paying for it). They are also not counted.
How can Formula One widen its reach (beyond television) to expand its audience base?I have no idea why he responded by talking about how he doesn't understand tweeting or Facebook. Says he doesn't understand social media, admits not knowing what young generation of today wants. While he avoids anwsering the question, there is nothing irritating here.
Do you believe there is no value in reaching this young audience?That is a bullshit question with an obvious anwser, and a less obvious catch. It's also another one that ticked a lot of people off, and i think it's deliberate.
Says that F1 corporate sponsors (Rolex, UBS, Singapore or Emirates airlines) are of little interest to young people (true), that F1's global reach and large audience are best suited for corporate, world-wide sponsorship (true) but goes off about targeted branding aiming at 15 year olds, how kids can't afford Rolexes (no, but they understand it's a rich-man watch), don't care about banking and attacks trying to chase and pander to younger audiences, going as far as to state such advertising belongs on Disney.
No mention of Red Bull's very succesfull advertising campaign this time, and no mention of any team sponsorship at all. For reference sponsors not mentioned include: Martini, Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker... you get the idea.
But can’t social media help you build or amplify fan engagement?"How are you going to get all the fans to meet these drivers, who don’t even want to meet their girlfriends? You’re right that we should use social media to promote Formula One. I just don’t know how." = "F*** you, thank you, you're right." Glorious reply there. :D
Beyond that just repeats not really understaning how to make social media work for him. Possibly avoids another link between young audiences who are social media savvy and lots of tweet pics of F1 cars screaming "Bernie says: If you want to DRINK AND DRIVE, vodka Red Bulls are the best."
What’s next for Formula One?Wants to retain audience, acknowledges it can't be grown. I'm not sure i buy that but i don't know the figures.
What drives you? What do you say to the critics?"I’m a firefighter. When the fires start, I have to put them out and we’re always having fires." Ok.
"I don’t say anything to these people because the majority of them don’t have the slightest idea what they’re talking about." True.
Full interview:
http://www.campaignasia.com/Article/392 ... brand.aspx
Bernie has gone completely crazy this time.
