My Race Day: Fiona Watherston

Fiona Watherston is an Account Director at Synergy, leading this year’s Formula 1 retail activation for the partner of Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, Bose. We have Fiona to tell us about her team’s very important work outside the Formula 1 track.  

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Before the race week

Our Bose events have been in planning since January this year, so the week before the race we’ll be putting in place the final logistical checks to ensure that our activation delivery will run without a hitch. Working with both the global and local retail and marketing teams, we’ll be ensuring that not only is everything set for the experiential elements of the activity but also that the physical and digital advertising within the retail space and the social media teams are prepped. We want our experiential activity to not only help Bose in driving footfall to their activation and their stores but to also play a part in heightening the buzz around the Grand Prix arriving in each city and their connection to Formula 1.

Race week  

Come the week of the race all planning will have been finalised and every supplier is set for an overnight build. Everything must be completed whilst the shopping mall is closed, so it’s crucial that everybody on site can execute their specific role efficiently to ensure we’re ready for doors opening. We’ll always be contending with the added complications that come with the city centre and mall load-ins, but our build for Bose is as practical as it is impactful in its final configuration, so the team is always confident of a straightforward set-up.

Race day for our team is very different from that of those heading to the track.

Our activity will typically be live from early in the week of the race; in Melbourne, we were activating from Wednesday and aim to drive all Formula 1 fans both native to the host city and those visiting to come to the activation. We believe that for both fans and specifically Mercedes fans, the activation gives insight and access to the team that isn’t possible without being in the actual garage. Our binaural experience and soundscapes captured from inside Lewis Hamilton’s garage are totally unique, and an experience we want to share as far and wide as possible.

Race day!

Race day for our team is very different from that of those heading to the track. When the city traffic is travelling to the race, we’re heading into the city centre, ready to start our final day of activity. Whilst we don’t get the die-hard fans attending our stand on race day, I love that it’s those who don’t have a ticket and might not know as much about the race, teams and drivers that get involved and learn something they never knew before about Bose’s partnership and the sounds of Formula 1. Whilst fun and engagement are at the heart of the activation, and our race simulators and GIF booths are going non-stop, using the Bose experiential event to engage with a new audience, and to educate those who potentially never thought about what it’s like inside the garages is a win for us and for Bose.