With the 2021 motorsport season nearing the start for some series and having already started for others, spontech specialist Hookit analysed how sponsored social media posts performed throughout 2020.
Included in the analysis are several top teams, drivers and riders from a variety of top series, which were chosen due to their high Adjusted Ad Value (AAV) – or, in this context, total sponsorship value generated. In addition, Hookit took a special look at February's Daytona 500 and analysed the impact for brands involved in the event.
Social promotion in 2020
Hookit analysed AAV from branded posts in motorsport. The brands chosen received the most AAV from their involvement in the industry in 2020.
Energy drinks giants Red Bull and Monster Energy were able to gain the most value by leading in the number of branded posts from motorsport. However, oil firm Petronas led brands in motorsport when it came to value per branded post, averaging US$4,500 per post promoting the brand compared to Monster Energy’s US$1,200 per post. While Petronas received nearly 80 per cent of their value through logo exposure, brands like McLaren and Ferrari received 75 per cent or more of their value from deliberate text promotion.
Sponsorship value generated by motorsport athletes: 20 per cent
While Formula One generated most value across motorsports, three of the top five drivers and riders came from outside that series. While Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton and MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi have the largest followings, rally driver Ken Block generated the most AAV in 2020. Supercross rider Dean Wilson saw the most growth in value in 2020, more than doubling his AAV generated in 2019.
Sponsorship value generated by motorsport teams: 16 per cent
While drivers and riders from different series were able to perform impressively, the teams that performed the best were all in Formula One. In fact, among the top ten teams, all but two were Formula One outfits and those two were both leading Nascar teams. The top MotoGP team by AAV, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP, was 11th among motorsport teams.
Sponsorship value generated by motorsport series: 62 per cent
While it is still in the number two spot, MotoGP generated 38 per cent less value through its social posts than in 2019 and was the only one of these five series in motorsport that decreased in both interactions and AAV. In contrast, Formula One was the only series in the top five that was able to increase both interactions and AAV.
Nascar’s 2021 Daytona 500
Nascar’s flagship event, the Daytona 500, kicked off the season on 14th February. Hookit tracked the drivers, teams, venue and Nascar accounts on social media to evaluate the impact for brands invested in the series and the event. In total, there were over 5,000 posts by the 50-plus entities being tracked during the period of 8th February to 17th February 2021.
Social sponsorship highlights
- Number of posts: 5,840
- Total interactions (likes, comments, shares): 7.9m
- Total video views: 76.7m
- Posts that included brand promotion: 40 per cent
- Average promotion quality: 5.6 per cent
- Realised sponsorship value (AAV): US$1.7m
Top brands
Nascar’s official tyre sponsor Goodyear came out on top across multiple categories, including most branded posts received and most sponsorship value received. When comparing the results in 2021 to 2020, there are some clear trends. The same five brands received the most branded posts, though Ford and Sunoco swapped places in 2021.
Only two of the top five brands from 2020 by AAV remained in the top five in 2021, Bass Pro Shops and Coca-Cola. Monster Energy (eighth in 2021), Toyota (12th in 2021), and Sunoco (16th in 2021) all saw reduced value from the latest running of the Daytona 500.
Top brands by sponsorship value (AAV) received:
- Goodyear
- Bass Pro Shops
- Coca-Cola
- Busch Beer
- Love’s Travel Shops
Top sports properties
None of the top five drivers by finishing position made the top five properties by sponsorship value. When reviewing these top five tables below, it is important to note that top drivers typically have more followers than their teams, but the teams post more frequently than drivers.
Top sports properties by AAV:
- Nascar
- Hendrick Motorsports
- Martin Truex Jr.
- Joey Logano
- Team Penske
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