Future Makers are the driving forces that take us forward: using technology, determination, collaboration and passion to make things happen. From cybersecurity to social media, we'll hear from the people and partners using winning formulas to affect positive change.
In the fourth part of our Future Makers series, Jefferson Slack, Managing Director, Commercial and Marketing, at Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team, examines the impact of sport, the value of partnerships and the growing momentum of F1's newest team.
A few things have struck me most about Formula One since I came onboard.
First is the sport's capacity as a storytelling platform. It's so real and authentic: young people can sniff out inauthenticity, and they can see that the stakes are real. On the racetrack, there's nowhere to hide.
The number of young people who are being switched on to the sport is another real game-changer. Formula One has always traditionally appealed to an older, male audience – it was viewed as very expensive and highly exclusive.
But I talk with executives now, and they tell me: "My teenage daughter is a huge F1 fan" – that's probably not something you would have heard just a few years ago.
Formula One is so real and authentic. On the racetrack, there's nowhere to hide.
I'm just as impressed by F1's expansion mindset. Liberty is doing a fantastic job with the universe of Formula One, and Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team is doing amazing things too. We had an advantage in some ways because we started from zero and built our brand identity from scratch – off the back of one of the world's most iconic brands, Aston Martin.
That meant we could build out in progressive ways: we've shown a social conscience, we've got some impressive ESG [Environmental, Social and Governance] initiatives on the way, and we've supported Pride Month through #WeRaceAsOne.
Clearly, you can positively impact people's lives through sport – and we acknowledge that you need to invest time, money and people to do that properly.
I've spent 30 years working in sports marketing, and you make deals happen because you build relationships with people – you take them to the racetrack or the sports stadium so they can touch and feel the experience. Obviously, that went away with COVID.
To a lot of American tech companies, Formula One is still a new sport, so it was daunting sitting down a year ago asking ourselves how we would fare commercially in 2021.
Happily, we've partnered with some incredible companies, and we're looking to expand our portfolio into 2022. We're also looking to amplify and grow our brand story and, last but not least, build and inhabit the first all-new factory in Formula One for 20 years – a space that will create revenue and performance advantages across the entire organisation. That's nothing if not ambitious!
Ground broken on new team factory
Construction of Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team's brand-new buildings has begun.
Another great surprise has been the support and leadership of Lawrence Stroll. He's a force of nature, that's the expression I'd use. He's a man with an enormous will to win, and nothing really gets in his way.
The most wonderful part is that he couldn't be more supportive: you want to do something for the business, he'll want you to go for it. Before I joined, I couldn’t imagine a man of his wealth and standing would work so hard. He's working from morning to night doing whatever it takes. He's all in.
The creation of Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team has been a little like working for a start-up. Of course, having the Aston Martin brand behind us gives us huge presence, but it's been a year of building – and continues to be. Now we're looking to take that initial momentum forwards into next year, and beyond.
Thanks to Jefferson for making his mark: #IAMSTORIES.
Jefferson Slack holds more than 30 years of experience in the sports marketing industry and is today Managing Director, Commercial and Marketing, at Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team.
Since joining Aston Martin in 2020, Jefferson has been responsible for all of the team’s commercial and marketing activities in Formula One.
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