Have you ever thought about how horse racing managed to stay relevant for hundreds of years? Well, if you spend enough time watching horse racing, you’ll start to notice that people don’t fall in love with the sport because of the race. After all, we are talking about a 2-minute race, and even though it is exciting, there are plenty of other sports that provide longer entertainment for people.
But people fall in love with the story behind the sport. It’s all about the buildup, the underdogs, the unknowns, the personalities, the history, and even the unpredictable nature of it. All of that matters just as much, if not more, than the finish line. And funny enough, we can see the same thing happening in marketing.
The marketing field nowadays is crazy, loud, and in your face. The competition is so high that brands are forced to create louder content that doesn’t stick for long. That’s why the ones people remember the most are campaigns that build a real narrative.
Although horse racing might seem like a strange place to look for marketing lessons, there is no denying that the sport nails something that marketers often forget: strong stories pull people and keep them engaged.
Let’s see what the Sport of Kings can teach us about marketing.
Every Race Has a Beginning, Middle, and End
Most people think that the race starts at the gate - WRONG. It starts weeks or months earlier. We are talking about the training, the strategy, the rivalries, and all the micro-management that the horse needs to reach its full potential. So, by the time horses actually run, the audience already has something to follow.
When you think about it, marketing campaigns work the same way. Dropping a single ad out of nowhere won’t do anything. You need a buildup, context, and movement. Each part of the campaign should lead into the next one, and each should tell a story that will engage your audience.
The breeding part of horse racing is completely different from training and racing, yet they all point to the same thing - the race! Then we have the betting part, which is also different but focused on the same thing. If we take away betting or any other sector of the industry, horse racing wouldn’t be the same.
On top of that, each different section of the sport provides more options for content. People follow TwinSpires to learn more about bet types, and they follow the journey of jockeys and trainers, and all of that leads to the race. Check out more here: https://www.twinspires.com/edge/racing/betting-info/horse-racing/
Since brands nowadays are fighting for attention on social media, make sure you give people something to stick around, like they’re following a story, not just receiving announcements.
The Best Horses Have Personality
If you try to build a brand without a personality, there is a high chance that everything will fail. Ask horse racing fans why they love the sport, and they’ll immediately tell you that it all comes down to the feeling they get, which is personality.
Whether we are talking about an underdog horse or a favorite one, the sport always gives people more than what they expect.
Unfortunately, brands miss this all the time. They talk like robots, hide behind generic messages, and their campaigns show a lack of personality.
Tension Is Also Important
It’s safe to say that the tension or the unpredictability of horse racing is the thing that makes the sport exciting. The race is interesting because anything can happen.
Well, good marketing also needs tension. But we are not talking about social media drama. It's something that you give your fans that’s worth paying attention to. It could be a countdown, a challenge, or a before-and-after journey.
Think about it, if your campaign has no tension, people have no reason to follow it. You need a “What happens next?” moment somewhere in the mix.
Racing Fans Remember the Journey, Not Just the Result
If you ask a die-hard horse racing fan about a certain big race that they’ve watched, they’ll tell you all about it, not just the result. They’ll talk about the setbacks, the feelings they got watching the race, and the decisions. The win at the end means more because the journey made sense.
How do we apply this to marketing? Well, a marketing campaign hits harder when people see how you got from point A to point B. If they know your brand’s path, watch the process, and the result feels earned. It’s all about your brand’s journey.
So, try to share campaigns that give people some insights about your brand’s story. Maybe behind-the-scenes content, updates, or early prototypes. That way, people feel part of your brand’s journey and feel more connected.
The Finish Line Isn’t the End
When a horse wins a big race, that’s the time when things start to go up. So, it’s not the end, but the beginning of the horse’s professional career. The breeding rights skyrocket, they get more invitations for big races, and owners generate more revenue.
Marketing should work the same way. A good campaign doesn’t die after the final post. You get leads, but this is the time when things are starting to move. You need something that will lead people into the next phase.
You should treat each campaign as a race in a bigger season. Remember, you win people long-term when you build momentum.
Who knew that horse racing could teach so many valuable marketing lessons, right? So, it’s time to get busy and implement some of these strategies. Also, make sure to stay consistent, and results will definitely come sooner than you think.