Formula 1-themed events and cross-code collaborations
A number of events and cross-code collaborations took place throughout last week to leverage the hype of Victoria's major Formula 1 event.
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Richmond FC’s rising star Sam Lalor struck an unexpected brand partnership with Bonds after suffering an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction moment where “he got caught with his eggplant out” during his AFL debut - the reactive campaign captured earned media coverage and the below Instagram reel has been viewed 125k+ times
St Kilda FC joined forces with leading online travel insurer 1Cover for season 2025, which will provide players, staff, and members with exclusive offers
St Kilda FC also struck a new deal with Good Drinks Australia which will provide opportunities for fans to enjoy refreshing Miller Genuine Draft and Miller Chill at Marvel Stadium and club events
Sydney FC secured a new partnership with Arnott’s, which will feature on the back of the Sky Blues’ Men’s shorts for the remainder of the Isuzu UTE A-League season
Port Adelaide FC announced its co-major partner KFC will increase its support of the club in 2025, which will see its logo placed on the lower back of the home and clash jersey, taking the place of the troubled GFG Alliance
North Melbourne announced Intrepid Travel as Premier Partner for 2025 and its branding will be displayed on the clubs’ AFL and AFLW playing shorts
Western Bulldogs secured a new deal with Scratch Pet Food which (among other things) will see the brand feature in the upcoming ‘Dogs of the West’ content series, which will share stories of AFL and AFLW players and their beloved pooches
Collingwood FC welcomed Australian-owned timber and hardware company Bowens as a Major Partner, which is supporting both the AFL and AFLW programs
Melbourne Storm announced a new partnership with Alinta Energy whose logo will be displayed on the bench for home games - Alinta Energy will also have opportunities to learn about the Storm’s successful leadership culture and how they’ve become a dominant force in a non-traditional NRL market
West Coast welcomed APD Global as a Premier Partner - its branding will feature prominently on the official coach and player media polo, and across game-day activations, digital content, and community initiatives
West Coast also announced a new partnership with leading salary packaging provider Paywise which builds on its existing connections with the club - key defender Jeremy McGovern and former premiership-winning Coach Adam Simpson are both Brand Ambassadors
Gold Coast SUNS captured attention with a striking headline to announce a new partnership with My Cruises
Bank of Queensland and Queensland Rugby Union forged a fresh, 3-year partnership which will see BOQ’s logo featured on the sleeve of the Queensland Reds playing jersey, along with training and warm-up apparel
The North Queensland Toyota Cowboys announced a 2-year partnership extension with BMD, Australia’s leading integrated engineering, construction and urban development business which has been a partner since 2005
GWS Giants produced the clever and unexpected LinkedIn post below, following last week’s thrilling victory
Tasmania FC unveiled its new mascot, Rum'un (which translates to Tasmanian slang for “an odd or eccentric person; a scallywag, or someone cheeky”) which has fur made from recycled school uniforms
The NRL confirmed that the first rugby league video game since 2017 is set to be released later this year in conjunction with developer Big Ant Studios
Brighton & Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom acquired a 19.1% minority stake in Melbourne Victory, with the option to increase his ownership over time
Western United announced it will champion a new partnership with the Good Friday Appeal at a special Superhero Round in April
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Formula 1-themed events and cross-code collaborations
The Formula 1 Louis Vuitton Australian Grand Prix 2025 achieved another record-breaking attendance of 465,498 spectators over the 4-day weekend, but the Formula 1 atmosphere wasn’t purely experienced at the track.
A number of events and cross-code collaboration took place throughout the week to leverage the hype of Victoria's major event.
Brand-led events
Airwallex "Shifted Perspectives"
To activate its sponsorship of McLaren, Airwallex hosted an event unveiling a custom-designed McLaren Artura supercar designed by renowned First Nations artist, Reko Rennie. Over 200 guests attended, including Oscar Piastri. The car later went on public display at Queensbridge Square.
PUMA Speedcat Invitational
To celebrate PUMA’s iconic Speedcat shoes, athletes such as Jordan De Goey, Cameron Munster, and Linden Hall joined other influencers at a Puma-branded event at Melbourne's Indoor Go-Karting Venue, Auscarts
More here
Ralph Lauren Polo Red
Lando Norris was unveiled as the new face of Ralph Lauren’s Polo Red last year, and to help activate his ambassador partnership, he was interviewed by Lauren Phillips at a special Ralph Lauren event at the Stokehouse in St Kilda in front of a suite of high-profile Australian guests.
Jack Daniel's x Cheers to McLaren
Jack Daniel's hosted its Jack Daniel’s x Cheers to McLaren event at the Espy in St Kilda (which Oscar Piastri joined) that featured authentic McLaren memorabilia (driver suits and a replica McLaren F1 car) and Jack Daniel’s signature whiskey cocktails. “Jack’s Rides” gave fans a chance to experience a front-seat ride in a luxury, race-inspired supercar.
Tag Heuer
A bevy of A-list guests (including Emmy-nominated “White Lotus” actress Alexandra Daddari) celebrated Tag Heuer’s return as the Official Timekeeper of Formula 1 at an adrenaline-filled event in Melbourne.
Team-led events
Teams set up fan zones to engage existing fans and attract new ones.
Crown hosted Red Bull’s fan zone with driver Q&As, a racing simulator, photo opportunities, live DJ, and a massive screen to watch the action. Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson appeared and featured in some social content.
More here
The Atlassian Williams Racing Fan Zone was held at the Atrium, Fed Square for a 3rd year which saw thousands of fans attend to get up close to Carlos Sainz, Luke Browning, and James Vowles.
More here
Owned events
Melbourne Park hosted its first free, 5-day F1 Melbourne Fan Festival packed with music & entertainment, Driver Q&As and autographs, merchandise, food & drink, pickleball, gaming, photo moments and tattoos.
More here
Glamour on the Grid
Crown became the Glamour on the Grid Naming Rights sponsor in 2025 and hosted a number of attendees pre-event who showcased themselves getting ready.
American Express expanded its presence as the Naming Rights Partner of "The American Express Lounge” which hosted the highly-anticipated event, bringing together A-listers and industry leaders.
Cross-code collaborations
Athletes, teams and sports often partner with one another in the form of a meet and great, jersey-swap or some other PR-themed exercise to create a value exchange, and achieve a common goal.
The media activity this generates helps generate hype, expand audience reach, and create shareable moments that drive new, and deeper fan engagement.
Cross-code collaboration benefits:
Fan base expansion: Provides an opportunity for sports to introduce one set of fans to another
PR: Generates earned media coverage, providing a platform to deliver key messages e.g. buy tickets to the upcoming event.
Here’s a look at some of last week’s cross-code promotion activity worth noticing:
Port Adelaide FC hosted and interviewed Guenther Steiner at its HQ.
Jack Doohan and Pierre Gasly from the BWT Alpine F1 Team had a meet and greet with Carlton Football Club players at Ikon Park.
Williams Racing F1 Driver, Alex Albon paid a visited to the Sydney Swans.
Brands were key in bringing codes together:
Scuderia Ferrari HP Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc received an iconic welcome at the PUMA Group Pit-Stop (roof of the Melbourne Cricket Ground) and had a kick on the turf with Harry McKay and Dion Prestia. More here
adidas brought together Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas and Melbourne Storm’s Ryan Papenhuyzen for a race on an F1 simulator.
In addition:
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and the Penrith Panthers teamed for an online jersey exchange - more here
TCL partnered with former AFL/current NFL player Patrick Murtagh to activate its F1 partnership around the track - more here
Oscar Piastri credited Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins on his social media for his batting skills as he hit balls into the crowd - more here
This cross-code strategy has become a blueprint for major Australian sports events
LIV Golf Adelaide previously collaborated with local AFL teams via player appearances and half-time activations, and the National Rugby League has collaborated with sports such as the UFC, WWE, NASCAR, Vegas Golden Knights, LA Rams etc. as part of its Las Vegas venture.
Related: Can the NRL’s Vegas Gamble Pay Off?
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