GP Explorer 2: Brand Partnerships and Influence Marketing Take Center Stage

Influence marketing. This Saturday, September 9, the second edition of the GP Explorer, a formula 4 race organized by Squeezie, brought together thousands of participants, influencers, public figures, but also partners. Rhinoshield, Moulinex, iGraal, Del Arte… Many brands were present once again this year. In addition to having their logo on the cars, some of the partners physically took over the meeting. A village has been designed to welcome the public. This space acted as a real life-size showcase where activities, food, competitions and even merchandising had been designed especially for the occasion.

Upon arrival on site, these dozens of sponsors did not go unnoticed by the participants. So many brands gathered in one place is “very impressive, it feels like a shopping center,” several visitors told us, still delighted to have activities to keep them busy before the race. Why did these brands choose to partner with the GP Explorer 2? We went around the village to ask them the question.

Brands that come back from one year to the next

In the village, where there was a succession of physical stands, around thirty brands welcomed the public. Each marquee has its surprise: music subscriptions for Deezer, merchandising for the Gotaga boutique or even food for Delamama Pizzas, Mister V’s brand. If for some, it was their first time on the event, others were already present last year, but simply as a sponsor of a team, without having spaces to interact with future customers.

This is the case of Rhinoshield, a brand of phone protection, very present on social networks. The company was already a partner last year of the Joyca and Théobabac stable. Given the success of the first edition, the team is back to support Maghla and Seb’s team (with whom it works occasionally the rest of the year). In addition to supporting them, a Rhinoshield store has appeared in the village. This is a first in France for the company. It’s a way for the brand to “mark the occasion,” Vinatt Luangkhot, sales and marketing manager, told the site. Internet People. Caps were distributed free of charge and GP Explorer merchandising was available in store.

You were all great today! What a day ! A historic record on Twitch and beautiful memories! ✨ #GPExplorer pic.twitter.com/OrZJg4sl7X

— RHINOSHIELD – GP Explorer #ECURHINO 🏎️ (@RHINOSHIELD_FR) September 9, 2023

Like Rhinoshield, iGraal was a partner of a stable last year. For this new edition, the team joined forces with Kaatsup and Lebouseuh as a secondary partner. But to differentiate itself, the company is also present on GP Explorer merchandising. A cashback offer has been designed for the occasion. “This year the action is much more targeted from a relational and marketing point of view through a much more directed action with the cashback offer,” revealed Ana Aires-Lerin, marketing manager. Members had access to 10% cashback on the online store as well as 3 euros offered upon registration.

D-1 before #GPExplorer2 🏁

Great confidence in our team to win first place 🏆

In addition, the entire GP store is 10% off ➡️ pic.twitter.com/n7yI2So1JS

— iGraal Officiel (@iGraal_cashback) September 8, 2023

Why have brands chosen to sponsor the GP Explorer 2?

If these two advertisers were already there last year, others experienced a great first. The household appliance brand Moulinex entered the track with a food stand. The team proposed their new product: the easy fry and grill. Their goal with this promotion is “to rejuvenate the brand image a little.” The GP Explorer is an event that brings together a lot of young people. By offering a distribution of free fries, we wanted to make a difference, because everything around us is paid for. So it’s a really good way to make our brand, our product known and to rejuvenate our audience,” says Alison Petit, head of the social media and influence group for Moulinex.

Del Arte was able to compete with its famous pizzas with a food stand. But the team also proposed a second activity. Sponsor of a stable, she invited a collective of artists who created ephemeral tattoos. An original and atypical way to attract the public who were able to benefit from tattoos related to the brand and the GP Explorer for free.

Finally, content creators participating in GP Explorer 2 were also able to bring their team. SpaceFox, the brand founded by Amixem, had its place in the village thanks to a boutique offering their flagship product: bracelets with pieces of meteorites encrusted. It is with their decor and their photo point that the brand wanted to get noticed. “We want to offer our products to customers, have a visible, recognizable and atypical stand. We really want to make a link between aerospace and automobiles with our car in the middle of a martial outpost,” explains Joë, the co-creator of the brand.

These few brands were far from the only ones to enliven the village designed especially for the event. The GP Explorer 2 was an opportunity for many of them to gain visibility and promote their products. On the organizational side, their financial support allowed the meeting to take on this magnitude. If 60,000 people were present on site, more than a million were there live on Twitch. In terms of visibility, they have won.