What do a ‘horsefluencer’ called Speedbreaker and cricket’s T20 have in common?
It sounds like the beginning of a bad bar joke but, spoiler alert, there’s no long face.
T20 cricket was invented and brought to the sport-loving masses as a family-friendly, fun, fast-paced alternative to the traditional five-day game that, in all honesty, always felt a lot longer.
Speedbreaker, as the ‘face’ of Global Team Horse Racing (GTH), was introduced to the world in an attention-grabbing PR stunt which saw him out-pace speed-cops in downtown Joburg and was shared thousands of times over social platforms.
Why? To illustrate that GTH is a fun, fast alternative to a traditional long day at the races.
Let’s backtrack a little: Horse racing has a long and storied history that has altered very little over the years. GTH is here to change all that.
Angus Campbell, marketing director of GTH, explains that while there are still successful international signature horse racing events like SA’s own Durban July, horse racing like all sport entertainment businesses needs to constantly evolve to appeal to modern audiences.
Accordingly, GTH is fast-paced, team-based, easy to understand, entertaining, and fun. And South Africans love it.
In fact, it beat out fan favourites like the Rugby World Cup Sevens final to win ‘Event of the Year’ at last year’s Hollard Sports Industry awards ceremony. No mean feat for a self-funded start-up.
And now we get to the future: Campbell sees GTH becoming an annual fixture but he’s adamant that it will break all the moulds. Proof-point one is that its owners have invested serious time and money in building a fan-first, high-tech, live product perfect for broadcast on multiple platforms. Proof-point two: GTH’s target audience is the under-30 post-COVID sports enthusiast who wants time out in the fresh air, in a safe environment, with their family. And three – GTH brings adrenalin and speed to the track in 2.5 hours rather than the standard six.
So again, why the Speedbreaker stunt? Firstly, the organic reach of the social media conversations delivered brilliant ROI – and for entrepreneurs whose budget isn’t as deep as the purse at the Kentucky Derby, that’s a big plus. Secondly, a horsefluencer has got to be a world first… Just like GTH. Lastly, when you are a start-up, and think and act like a start-up you challenge all the norms.
Bottom line: Why horse around when you can grab mass attention in a way that’s never been done before.
Connect with Speedbreaker on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok using @speedbreakerza.
And follow the Racing Revolution @gthracingza on all social media platforms.