The One Show
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Category
Innovation / Execution in IP & Product Design
Annual ID
OS25_IP033M
Background
Michelob ULTRA sought to challenge the dominance of legacy brands in the crowded F1 sponsorship space by developing an innovative product that pushed the boundaries of sports entertainment. With Formula 1’s popularity surging in the U.S., the brand aimed to capitalize on this cultural moment and establish its premium status. The challenge was to stand out not just through traditional sponsorship, but by creating a groundbreaking digital and physical experience that would transform how fans engage with the sport.
Creative Idea
Lap of Legends introduced a transformative hybrid race that fused live-action competition with advanced digital technology. The idea was to have F1 driver Logan Sargeant compete against AI-generated avatars of racing legends, creating a real-vs.-virtual race that seamlessly integrated past and present. By leveraging cutting-edge AI, AR, and telemetry systems, Lap of Legends wasn’t just a campaign — it was an innovative product that redefined how fans experience motorsport. This concept celebrated F1’s history while positioning Michelob ULTRA as a trailblazer in the category.
Insights & Strategy
F1 fans value both the nostalgia of racing legends and the innovation of modern technology. Michelob ULTRA identified a unique opportunity to bridge these sentiments by creating an entirely new format of engagement that merged history with innovation. The strategy centered on using advanced digital tools to create a deeply immersive product that honored F1’s rich heritage while embracing its technological evolution. This approach ensured Michelob ULTRA resonated with both diehard F1 fans and broader audiences who appreciate premium, forward-thinking experiences.
Execution
-- AI & AR Integration: Advanced AI algorithms created hyperrealistic avatars of legendary F1 drivers, which competed in real time against Logan Sargeant.
-- Real-Time Telemetry: Sensors captured Sargeant’s live performance, feeding data into machine learning models that dynamically adjusted the virtual racers’ behavior.
-- Cinematic Visual Craft: High-fidelity rendering, motion capture, and AR visuals elevated the hybrid race to cinematic quality, reinforcing Michelob ULTRA’s premium brand identity.
-- Interactive Access: Fans engaged via a dedicated microsite with integrated QR codes, offering an interactive gateway to behind-the-scenes content and race data.
-- Cross-Platform Distribution: The event aired on major platforms, including AMC, Roku, and YouTube, ensuring widespread visibility and engagement.
-- Real-Time Telemetry: Sensors captured Sargeant’s live performance, feeding data into machine learning models that dynamically adjusted the virtual racers’ behavior.
-- Cinematic Visual Craft: High-fidelity rendering, motion capture, and AR visuals elevated the hybrid race to cinematic quality, reinforcing Michelob ULTRA’s premium brand identity.
-- Interactive Access: Fans engaged via a dedicated microsite with integrated QR codes, offering an interactive gateway to behind-the-scenes content and race data.
-- Cross-Platform Distribution: The event aired on major platforms, including AMC, Roku, and YouTube, ensuring widespread visibility and engagement.
Results
-- Sales Growth: Achieved +6.52% YOY sales growth from May–June 2024, outperforming industry benchmarks.
-- Innovation Value: Generated $5.5M in total media value, including $2.32M in net media value and $600K in experiential ROI.
-- Audience Reach: Garnered 300M impressions, connecting with F1 fans and general audiences alike.
-- Industry Impact: Positioned Michelob ULTRA as an innovator in F1 sponsorship, leveraging cutting-edge execution to deliver a groundbreaking product.
-- Innovation Value: Generated $5.5M in total media value, including $2.32M in net media value and $600K in experiential ROI.
-- Audience Reach: Garnered 300M impressions, connecting with F1 fans and general audiences alike.
-- Industry Impact: Positioned Michelob ULTRA as an innovator in F1 sponsorship, leveraging cutting-edge execution to deliver a groundbreaking product.
2025 Awards
Total Points: 3
Merit
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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