Zak Brown: fan engagement paramount to modern marketing of F1

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Marketing guru and McLaren executive Zak Brown insists that the digital age has made fan engagement a crucial component of modern marketing.

Formula 1 is now owned and spearheaded by a media conglomerate, Liberty Media, and the sport will now be brought in line with the digital age.

But individually, the teams are also capitalizing on the new marketing environment, where the fans are now at the center of a marketer's interest.

"We at McLaren regard fan engagement as the most important aspect of modern marketing," explained Brown.

"Without the fans, without the bums on seats in grandstands or indeed on sofas in front of TVs at home - iPads and iPhones at hand increasingly often too these days - Formula One couldn’t exist. It’s crucial that we all remember that.

"The biggest change in sports marketing in recent years has been the arrival and widespread adoption by sports fans of social and digital media.

"McLaren’s digital and social media platforms are busy, vibrant, popular and successful, and we have almost seven million social media followers now.

"I’m active on social media myself, as is Eric, as are both Fernando and Stoffel. It’s important - but it’s also fun."

McLaren director Zak Brown wants more F1 in the US

Zak Brown also insists that in order for the link between McLaren and its fans to be sustained, it must give back and reward the loyalty of its base, through good times and bad.

"McLaren’s fans are the best in the world, I firmly believe that. The past few seasons have been a bit disappointing for them, I realise that, but their loyalty has never wavered.

"And, guess what, we reward that kind of loyalty. Just last week we invited a couple of dozen McLaren ‘super fans’, if I can call them that, to the McLaren Technology Centre, and I met every one of them.

"I follow every one of them on Twitter now too. They met Stoffel as well - and every one of them got to race him around Monaco in a mini version of our simulator.

"Stoffel was the quickest of course, as you’d expect, but some of them were pretty quick too. We really enjoyed hosting them, and we’ll do it again."

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.