The One Show
The One Show is the world's most prestigious award show in advertising and design. For over 50 years, the Gold Pencil has been regarded as one of the top prizes in the creative industry. The One Show has a rich legacy of honoring some of the most groundbreaking ideas, created by some of the most remarkable minds in creativity.
Learn more about The One Show 2026
Category
Augmented, Virtual & Mixed Reality (AR, VR, MR)
Annual ID
OS25_CT003G
Background
F1, the fastest-growing sport in the U.S., has become synonymous with cutting-edge technology and unparalleled competition. Michelob ULTRA sought to disrupt Heineken’s dominance as the sport’s leading sponsor by elevating its own premium status. Faced with the challenge of standing out in a sponsorship landscape dominated by logos and traditional branding, Michelob ULTRA embraced AR and mixed reality to create an innovative, immersive experience that resonated with tech-savvy F1 fans.
Creative Idea
Michelob ULTRA’s Lap of Legends was a groundbreaking combination of real-world racing and augmented reality. Logan Sargeant, the first American F1 driver in 30 years, competed on a real racetrack against AR avatars of legendary F1 drivers. These avatars were powered by historical racing data, real-time telemetry, and AI, seamlessly blending the physical and digital realms. This unique activation elevated AR and mixed reality from a supporting tool to the centerpiece of the experience, redefining fan engagement with the sport.
Insights & Strategy
Insight: F1 fans are captivated by the sport’s cutting-edge innovation and data-driven precision.
Strategy: By integrating AR and real-time telemetry into the fabric of the event, Michelob ULTRA created an immersive, tech-forward experience that aligned with the values of F1. The campaign reframed AR as more than a visual enhancement — it became a creative mechanism to tell a compelling, premium story and deliver on Michelob ULTRA’s brand ethos.
Strategy: By integrating AR and real-time telemetry into the fabric of the event, Michelob ULTRA created an immersive, tech-forward experience that aligned with the values of F1. The campaign reframed AR as more than a visual enhancement — it became a creative mechanism to tell a compelling, premium story and deliver on Michelob ULTRA’s brand ethos.
Execution
Michelob ULTRA used AR and machine learning to merge the virtual and physical worlds in Lap of Legends.
Logan raced in his car — like he normally would — at Silverstone, home of the British Grand Prix. But his digitized opponents appeared as augmented reality avatars in his racing helmet, responding to his driving motions in real time. We used AI to gather 45 years of data and deploy millions of data points to build unique racer profiles that had 198 unique attributes — so the virtual racers think and drive like they used to. We then conveyed Logan’s movements to them via real-time data, allowing them to react to his every move.
The event was broadcast on AMC, Roku, and BBC America, with social and digital activations extending the reach of the AR-enhanced experience. This seamless integration of AR and MR technology reinforced Michelob ULTRA’s innovative identity.
Logan raced in his car — like he normally would — at Silverstone, home of the British Grand Prix. But his digitized opponents appeared as augmented reality avatars in his racing helmet, responding to his driving motions in real time. We used AI to gather 45 years of data and deploy millions of data points to build unique racer profiles that had 198 unique attributes — so the virtual racers think and drive like they used to. We then conveyed Logan’s movements to them via real-time data, allowing them to react to his every move.
The event was broadcast on AMC, Roku, and BBC America, with social and digital activations extending the reach of the AR-enhanced experience. This seamless integration of AR and MR technology reinforced Michelob ULTRA’s innovative identity.
Results
Lap of Legends showcased the transformative potential of AR and mixed reality. The campaign achieved 300 million impressions and unlocked $10 million in added media value – fully covering production costs. Revenue at the Michelob ULTRA Fan Zone during the Miami Grand Prix increased by +19% compared to 2024 averages, while the campaign outperformed Heineken by +16% in cultural conversation surrounding F1. Michelob ULTRA’s pioneering use of AR positioned it as a trailblazer in both F1 and experiential branding.
2025 Awards
Total Points: 45
Gold Pencil
Credits
Agency
FCB / New York
Client / Brand
AB InBev - Michelob ULTRA
Production Company
The Mill / New York
Music / Sound Production Company
Citizen Music
Animator
Doma Harkai
Art Director
Ilgi Candar Dyer
Associate Creative Director
David Green
Lara Polovina
Chief Creative Officer
Michael Aimette
Chief Strategy Officer
Todd Sussman
Creative Director
Jim Robbins
Thomas Mori
Design Director
Eric Benitez
Designer
Ella Hyunjoo Ahn
Director
Andrew Proctor
Mara Rudolph
Editor
Chris Monteiro
Jake Zimet
Executive Creative Director
Alexandre Abrantes
Producer
Katherine Miccio
Ramya Shankar
Strategy Director
Jamie Rutherford
Assistant Editor
Andre Correa
Associate Producer
Jenna Ramon
Executive Producer
Chris Connolly
Global Art Director & Designer
Vitor Hugo Favero
Global Creative Partner
Danilo Boer
Group Strategy Director
Alex Beerden
Head of Design
Sy-Jenq Cheng
Lead Editor
Breithner Monteiro
Senior Designer
Simon Fernandes
Senior Producer
Catherine M. Fischer
Senior Strategist
Michael Schonfeld
VP, Executive Integrated Producer
Daniel Roversi
2D Lead
David Piombino
Account Director
Elisa Tanganelli
Account Executive
Gillian Bloom
Matthew Hamburg
Louis Carvell
Account Manager
Brian Sanchez
Account Supervisor
Logan Butler
Analyst, Paid Social
Nicholas Galanti
Archival Producer
Lizzy McGlynn
Associate
Elena Holceker
Associate Director, Content
Zena Gittens
Associate Director, Digital Investment
Ashley Gigante
Associate Director, Investment
Griffin Noake
Associate Director, Paid Social
Kelly Lynn Chagnon
Associate Director, Strategy
Alex Nathanson
Associate General Counsel, Anheuser-Busch
Cara Stuckel
Erika Cohn
Associate Program Director
Abby Kiefer
Brand Director of Digital, Michelob ULTRA
Teresa Keeney
Brand Director, Michelob ULTRA
Leah Saccoccio
Car Assembly Manager - Heritage
Jim Barker
CG Lead
Stephen Eisenmann
Creative
Simon Dolsten
DIL Team Leader
Andrew Newton
Director of Business Affairs
Janice Katz
Director of Experience
Jocelyn Birsch
Director of Experiential Marketing, Michelob ULTRA
Matias Regenhardt
Director Sports Marketing and Partnerships, Michelob ULTRA
Dylan Ruby
Director, Digital Investment
Juli Marques
Director, National Media, Michelob ULTRA
Alexis Unwalla
Executive Creative Director, Production
Gavin Wellsman
Executive Vice President, Investment
Kara Lazarus
Experience Senior Producer
Lyn Gaza
Experience Technology Director
Adam Smith
F1 Media Communication
Rebecca Banks
Head of Design & Creative Director
Patrick Coleman
Head of Live Action UK
Johnny Blick
Head of Media
Juliana Wurzburger
Head of Partnerships
James Southerland
Key Account Executive
Tony Cassano
Line Producer
Swifty Hanrahan
Tim Tyrell
Manager
Elayza Gonzalez
Jake Spitz
Manager, Paid Social
Corey E. Brown
Managing Director
Angela Lupo
Media Sales Manager
Dave Bignel
Partner Manager
Charlie Raven
Project Manager
Lilly Sessions
Sales Account Manager Media Rights
Holly Boyd
Senior Analyst, Paid Media
Issac Aronoff
Senior Analyst, Paid Social
Isaac Aronoff
Senior Creative Developer
Rui An
Senior Partner Manager
Juliette Pelham
Senior Post Producer
Matt Klein
Senior Project Manager
Chelsea Harmon
Samantha Sam
Senior Vice President
Peter Martin
Senior Vice President, Creative Experience
Gerard Martin
Sr. Account Manager
Zoe Schafer
Sr. Brand Director, Michelob ULTRA
Miles Ritenour
Sr. Business Affairs Manager
Jeff Robertson
Sr. Comms Strategist
Dominique Thibault
Sr. Director, Marketing Communications, Anheuser-Busch
Lacey Clifford
Sr. Manager, Michelob ULTRA
Sarah Ben-Zvi
Sr. Talent Manager
Jewel Chandler
Studio Director
Jackie Helfgott
Supervisor, Investment
Alex Anderson
SVP, Group Account Director
Diana Gonzalez Cash
SVP, Head of Production & Content
Nick Williams
The Garage Crew at Williams Racing
The Garage Crew at Williams Racing
Vice President, Content and Partnerships
Mike DeSanti
Vice President, Investment
Jaime Millman
Vice President, Strategy
Justin Simon
VP Marketing, Michelob ULTRA
Ricardo Marques
VP of Creative, Michelob ULTRA
Talita Andrade
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