Stop Selling The Product

Happy Friday Sippers,

How was your week? Full disclosure, like every year, 6 weeks out from the Holidays, I need to pull from my energy reserve to keep it going. (Did I already say I don't like November?)

I feel like it's Day 4 of Grand Prix weekend in Montreal, Saturday Night at Globe. Still to this day, the most exhilarating (and equally exhausting) night to work in the restaurant business. The restaurant is packed (overpacked), people are beautiful (and thirsty), staff is racing for the last champagne bottle to bring to their tables, pure chaos. So fun! 

No one has mastered the energy that Formula 1 brings to a city.

Funny enough, I listened to a fascinating segment this week on The Current, featuring Emily Prazer, F1's Chief Commercial Officer for the U.S. Her insight was simple but profound: F1's success isn't just about the race; it's about creating an "always-on dynamic."

This is the ultimate lesson in Brand Elasticity, how a brand takes its core character (speed, technology, exclusivity) and stretches its framework beyond the product (the two-hour Sunday race) until it becomes a lifestyle and a cultural asset.

F1's character is unique: high-octane speed, luxury, and technology. 

For decades, its framework was rigid-a technical sport for a niche, predominantly male audience. The strategic shift to "always-on" shattered that framework, turning a niche sport into a cultural monolith.

• The Results | The strategic framework reversal worked. Netflix's Drive to Survive transformed F1, with female fans now making up 40% of the global fanbase, a massive jump from just 8% in 2017. When a brand can achieve that kind of growth by changing its framework, it's a masterclass.

• The Anchor | The core anchor (the speed, the drivers, the competition) is untouched. The framework is what changed.

Here is how F1 used the "always-on dynamic" to build its lifestyle ecosystem:

1. Verticalizing the Media Framework (The Barbie Playbook)

F1 realized the race wasn't enough. It needed to own the narrative 24/7.

• The Original Vertical | F1 already had a well-established revenue stream from merchandise and collaborations (with fashion brands, luxury goods, etc.). This was part of the old playbook. However, the media framework is what amplified this established revenue source by making the sport culturally relevant to a new audience.

• IP as Cultural Asset | The development of the Brad Pitt F1 movie confirms that F1 is now following the Barbie playbook. They are treating their core Intellectual Property (IP) not just as content, but as a cultural springboard capable of generating global conversation that transcends the core product.

• Behind-the-Scenes Access | Netflix's Drive to Survive cracked the code. It didn't just showcase the sport; it emphasized the human drama, the rivalries, and the celebrity culture-the Character elements that were previously hidden.

2. Integrating the Physical Lifestyle (Destination as Brand)

The ultimate test of a lifestyle brand is its ability to transcend the digital screen and enter the physical world of its fans.

• The Grand Prix as Spectacle | Races like Miami and Las Vegas are now designed as luxury cultural events first, and races second. They integrate local culture, celebrity access, and high-end consumption, making the race a setting for an exclusive lifestyle experience.

• A Global Parallel | The Paris Olympics: We see the same strategy at a global scale. Paris is using its identity, the destination, to elevate the Olympic Games, focusing on staging events against iconic backdrops like the Eiffel Tower. The city's character is elevating the sport, not the other way around.

• Localizing the Framework | In Miami, the construction of massive, driveable Lego models and local art integration ensured the event felt custom-built for the city's vibrant, theatrical character.

The Local Parallel: From Rink to Real Estate

This strategic move isn't unique to F1; it's the evolution of any legacy brand with a strong character. Here in Canada, we see this integration happening right in our own cities with our iconic sports brands.

• The Canadiens (Habs) and the Leafs | These organizations aren't just selling hockey; they are selling civic identity. Their investment in real estate surrounding the Bell Centre in Montreal or Scotiabank Arena in Toronto is the ultimate expression of Verticalization.

• The Strategic Outcome | By developing residential, commercial, and entertainment spaces, they are literally building their brand ecosystem into the city's lifestyle, ensuring the brand is part of the consumer's experience "always-on," whether they are attending a game, living in a condo, or dining in the area.

The Sip Takeaway

Sell the Destination, Not the Vehicle

The biggest strategic lesson from F1 is this: stop selling the product (the game/race) and start selling the lifestyle and community it enables.

• Find Your Anchor | Define the non-negotiable core character of your brand (F1's speed, Leafs' civic loyalty).

• Build the Framework | Design frameworks (Netflix docs, real estate, exclusive events) that stretch the brand beyond the point of transaction, embedding it in the consumer's daily life.

• Own the Narrative | Ensure your strategy is always-on. Your brand must be a continuous, evolving story, not a periodic event.

A note to our friends in U.S. racing: NASCAR should take a page out of F1's playbook. 

Transforming the sport requires moving beyond the track and investing in the surrounding cultural lifestyle and media narrative.  Here’s to turning your product into a lifestyle!

Here’s to turning your product into a lifestyle!

BTW, It’s not too late to flight to Vegas for this weekend race 

See you next week,