the challenge
As the market leader in an emerging software category, Smartsheet wanted to place clear brand differentiation between themselves and emerging upstarts. They viewed their new sponsorship of the McLaren Formula One (F1) Team as the perfect opportunity to do just that—on an international scale.
But on a race car crowded with logos, how is a brand supposed to stand out? How could Smartsheet use their sponsorship to boldly convey what they stand for—beyond a simple brand impression?
the solution
Smartsheet flipped the idea of an F1 sponsorship on its head when they created Sponsor X, and removed their logo from the McLaren F1 cars, replacing them with those of a nonprofit.
At the Australian Grand Prix, they swapped in DeadlyScience who provides STEM resources and educational materials to remote Indigenous schools in Australia.
At the U.S. Grand Prix, it was The Hidden Genius Project that received placement on the McLaren cars. Their mission is to train and mentor Black male youth in technology creation, entrepreneurship, and leadership skills to transform their lives and communities.
The impact of Sponsor X was profound. Rather than simply attempting to break through the clutter and tell the world what they stand for, Smartsheet proved it.
But Smartsheet didn’t stop with the logo. While other sponsors would have created content about their own product to be featured in McLaren media channels, Smartsheet produced short films about each nonprofit that appeared in their place—raising broad awareness of their amazing work.
Sponsor X proves that sometimes the best way to show the world what you stand for is to shine a light on someone else.
