Shell: POWER AND THE PASSION

Credits & Description:

Category: Best Integrated Campaign Led by PR

Advertiser: SHELL

Product/Service: FUEL AND LUBRICANTS

Shell Global Sponsorships Manager: Richard Bracewell (Shell Brands International)

Shell Global Sponsorship Manager: Stuart Humm (Shell Brands International)

Creative Director: Simon Woollard (PRISM)

Director: Neil Robershaw (Zooter productions)

Motorsport PR Manager: Luke Drake (PRISM)

Chief Executive Officer: Steve Madincea (PRISM)

Media placement: VNR 1 - Total global broadcasts: 107 including RTL Gemany, Channel 5 UK - 14/03/2010

Media placement: VNR 2 - Total global broadcasts: 4 including RTL Germany, ESPN Asia, La Sexta Spain, TPA - 28/03/2010

Media placement: VNR 3 - Total global broadcasts: 90 including RTL Gemany, Channel 5 UK - 04/04/2010

Media placement: VNR 4 - TPA Asturas, Spain - 18/04/2010

Media placement: VNR 5 - RTL Germany, ARD Germany , SKy Germany, Speed TV USA, TRT Turkey. - 29/08/2010

Media placement: VNR 6 - Rai Italy, La Sexta Spain - 12/09/2010

Media placement: VNR 7 - Total global broadcasts: 19 including ESPN Asia and Sky Germany - 29/09/2010

Media placement: VNR 8 - ESPN Asia - 04/10/2010

Media placement: VNR 9 - Total global broadcasts: 19 including Globosat Brazil - 24/10/2010

Media placement: Documentary - The Power and the Passion - Total global broadcasts: 54 including CCTV China, Rede Globo Brazil - w/c 15/11/2010



Summary of the Campaign

Shell’s Technical Partnership with Ferrari F1 goes back over 60 years. Shell research suggests motorists’ aware of the Shell Ferrari Partnership are more likely to buy Shell fuel and oil products. Shell had the challenge of maximising its sponsorship assets with Ferrari while having to consider its multi market requests and variations on how the partnership was communicated through PR and advertising.



The solution was focusing on the core 'track to road' message that all markets could sell and communicate to their customers if the story was made compelling. A central team planned 11 days of content production having negotiated special access to Ferrari and Shell scientists.



The strategic execution was to capture a candid 'behind the scenes' insight into the Shell Ferrari technical partnership. Through film, audio, photographic and interview copy collation, the production team were able to provide finished edits, images, stories and film rushes to multiple Shell markets and agencies for broadcast, online, event and internal communications use.



Measured content reached 97 million viewers across 200 countries. 121 global Shell agencies downloaded content for their campaigns. A PR value of $51.3m was achieved was content broadcast alone.



The Situation

Global fuel and oil producers Shell have been a Technical Partner with Ferrari for over 60 years. This long partnership gave Shell good access to Ferrari, but it was a fraction of what was needed to fulfil the global demands of markets who wanted Ferrari drivers access to grab customer and consumer attention.



Fuel and oil stories were not appealing to broadcast editors who tended to feature Ferrari as the brand and not Shell. Only 28% of motorsport fans were aware of the partnership and the benefits it brought motorists through Shells advanced products.



The Goal

Shell’s global research states motorists’ aware of the Shell Ferrari Partnership are more likely to buy Shell fuel and oil products. More motorists needed to be made aware of the 'track to road' advanced technology of Shell V-Power fuel and Helix oil. With the modest time access Shell had to Ferrari drivers and engineers, it needed to maximise its communication assets among its global agencies. Motor sport fans took a more technical interest in the sport, and acted as opinion leaders with their circles of influence. A target of 50 million global motorsport fans was set.



The Strategy



Through good quality interviews and film content, Shell realised it could make a documentary which could be used as a platform for shorter topical VNRs. A compact specialised film crew accompanied by a top photographer meant exclusive sequences and images could be taken to use on TV, websites, events, online and for print press stories. By adopting a journalistic approach, leading news stories could be developed. By fundamentally understanding the role Shell played, the relevance of fuel and oil in assisting Ferrari’s race for the Championship could be explained in a dynamic and interesting way.



All these assets could be produced with strong planning, attention to detail and appropriate distribution among Shell’s global marketing divisions and stakeholders. The refuelling ban in 2010 meant that Ferrari needed Shell’s expertise more than ever. The narrative explored how and why the partnership worked to deliver a competitive advantage to the Ferrari team.



Execution

The 2010 campaign was executed in four stages.

1) Pre-production, January-March

2) Film production, February - November

3) Post Production editing, February-November

4) Film Distribution, March to December.



F1 journalists were consulted to ensure Shell story angles would appeal to broadcast audiences. Production was condensed into 11 filming days.



As the various story assets were created, the final documentary completed to include the dramatic 2010 season climax, an existing Shell motorsport media site was adapted to allow agencies to download content or request imagery. Other global stakeholders were provided materials on a bespoke basis so they could accommodate footage, interviews, images and quotes on Shell websites, within event experiences and in country specific marketing communications.



Content editing was synchronised to supply media across the season. Shell proactively approached editors with its VNR content, using pinpoint timing to maximise its broadcast potential by global media in F1 scheduled programming.



Documented Results

Shell’s VNR’s and documentary alone reached 97 million viewers over multiple broadcast channels across 200 countries. This represented a PR value of $51.3m.

21 countries that were Shells top global markets, broadcast the content reaching motorsport influencers where the majority of its key customers resided and business could be optimised. Crucially Shell, its products and messaging were at the centre of every story.



124 of Shell’s global agencies downloaded content from the Shell motorsport site. Over 800 online broadcasts of the content were recorded, however at the time of registration that had not been valued. For an initial investment of $750m, Shell’s integrated content campaign to maximise the Ferrari partnership assets, earned a ROI of 73:1.