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British racing's largest marketing campaign yet will launch on May 20 under the title 'The Going Is Good', with Simon Michaelides of Great British Racing declaring he was "incredibly confident" about what it can do for the sport.
The campaign, backed by £3,620,000 of funding from the Levy Board, will showcase British racing as a great day out, underpinned by the excitement of the sport, with the tagline "4 million memories made every year," a figure based on the sport's existing 4.8m racegoers.
It comes three years after the sport's last marketing drive, the £1.6m 'Everyone's Turf' campaign featuring former footballer Jermaine Jenas, which was criticised for its lack of impact.
Michaelides said: "For the sport at large this will be the biggest campaign we have done, more than double the spend of Everyone's Turf.
"So that alone means it's going to reach a lot more people and have a much, much bigger impact, and now we have got the reassurance of knowing we have a really strong idea and advertising that is resonating really well with audiences."
Michaelides, who has led GBR since the departure of chief executive Rod Street last year, said the campaign was attempting to do two things.
"We're trying to get people who have never had a relationship with racing but who are open to it to really be inspired to come and find out more and want to engage with racing," he said.
"The other audience then really is casual fans who have either lapsed or are attending only once a year; we're really trying to inspire them to want to engage with the sport more often."
Surely it would be a better idea to increase prize money for owners and improve the experience for semi-regular racegoers and try to retain their custom . IE stop ripping them off with over inflated drink and food prices.
Its not hard !
If you stopped treating customers as if they were "fairground goers" - like someone visiting a fairground who will visit just one time so are there to be fleeced.
Try treating your customers as if you value them them and treat them well and not rip them off and you might get their repeat business.
If not they will vote to go elsewhere, as is happening.
Also try putting on some non handicaps as they might stand a chance of having a winning bet .
Anyone else have any good suggestions to help the beleaguered Simon Michaelides of Great British Racing ?
The campaign, backed by £3,620,000 of funding from the Levy Board, will showcase British racing as a great day out, underpinned by the excitement of the sport, with the tagline "4 million memories made every year," a figure based on the sport's existing 4.8m racegoers.
It comes three years after the sport's last marketing drive, the £1.6m 'Everyone's Turf' campaign featuring former footballer Jermaine Jenas, which was criticised for its lack of impact.
Michaelides said: "For the sport at large this will be the biggest campaign we have done, more than double the spend of Everyone's Turf.
"So that alone means it's going to reach a lot more people and have a much, much bigger impact, and now we have got the reassurance of knowing we have a really strong idea and advertising that is resonating really well with audiences."
Michaelides, who has led GBR since the departure of chief executive Rod Street last year, said the campaign was attempting to do two things.
"We're trying to get people who have never had a relationship with racing but who are open to it to really be inspired to come and find out more and want to engage with racing," he said.
"The other audience then really is casual fans who have either lapsed or are attending only once a year; we're really trying to inspire them to want to engage with the sport more often."
Surely it would be a better idea to increase prize money for owners and improve the experience for semi-regular racegoers and try to retain their custom . IE stop ripping them off with over inflated drink and food prices.
Its not hard !
If you stopped treating customers as if they were "fairground goers" - like someone visiting a fairground who will visit just one time so are there to be fleeced.
Try treating your customers as if you value them them and treat them well and not rip them off and you might get their repeat business.
If not they will vote to go elsewhere, as is happening.
Also try putting on some non handicaps as they might stand a chance of having a winning bet .
Anyone else have any good suggestions to help the beleaguered Simon Michaelides of Great British Racing ?
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Replies: 131
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Sounds about right. Don't rip off your customers. Don't let concessions and bookies rip off your customers.
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Is there anything in this marketing plan besides money, optimism and complete amnesia for previous failed initiatives?
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The sport needs more 'regulars', people who attend racing often. As long as entry fees and other
prices remain high very few newcomers to racing are going to consider going often. £50.00 for Tatts at Chester this week. I would love to go racing at least once a week but simply cannot afford it, and even if I could wouldn't pay $50, on principle. |
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< let alone £50!
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Spot on with that Ramruna. More ballocks.. Try this for size !!
Michaelides said the confidence in the campaign was rooted in the testing and research that had been done around it. He said: "I've rarely seen results like that, so we were extremely excited. So we're incredibly confident about what this has the potential to do for the sport." More false rhetoric from yet another 'self proclaimed expert' before flushing more money down the pan. Why not ask a few racegoers what their grumbles are and how to improve on their experience ? And I mean racegoers, not trans sexual , pink haired, green skinned, one legged homosexual / lesbian single minority group which they claim they they should be appealing to. No, try normal , regular british tax paying families as they are the largest demographic in this country and the ones who hopefully hold similar beliefs and values for what equates to a day out. |
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Did they ever say what the effect of the previous £1.6 million spend was in terms of anything ??
The campaign, backed by £3,620,000 of funding from the Levy Board, will showcase British racing as a great day out, underpinned by the excitement of the sport, with the tagline "4 million memories made every year," a figure based on the sport's existing 4.8m racegoers. There is a utter lack of understanding of their product and society as a whole. Racing isn't a "great day out" there isnt much "excitement" and the "4 million memories made" arent really great ones. But Simon's still getting a wage and the gravy train will slowly trundle closer to extinction. |
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Santa Anita today: 'Free Fridays' Free entry, free parking and $5 Margaritas and £3 beers.
That's how you promote the sport. Other days admission for grandstand reserved seating: $10.95. |
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P!ssed on the fodder since day one,what kind of fodder are they going to encourage….more sockless and cleavage advertising….
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Bin the unbearable music spewing out for a start….
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Perhaps they should address the unimaginable boredom that ensues between races, unless you are pist up.
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I used to enjoy the quiet relaxing time Captain….
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The person on the PA system must think everyone has hearing issues….
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We have our local point to point this weekend.
Crowd of circa 4,000 which is probably more than most courses under rules this weekend. Cheap entrance, Kids go free. People are welcome to bring a picnic plus alcohol should they want to. There is a reasonably priced bar . £5 / pint Honestly priced good food, So not a rip off in sight and paying customers get value for their expenditure. Good racing and it will be sold out because they give people what they want, and don't try to fleece the spectators. You dont need a 2nd mortgage to have a great day out. Some 'Under Rules' would do well to copy . You dont need a £3 million budget to tell you that. Roggrain - I like your post re the american racing today - free entry and parking and $5 cocktails and $3beer . Thats the way to do it surely ? Why wouldnt you go. ?.. |
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Spend the money on better watering and prize money. Most first time visitors will soon get bored by 3-5 runner fields.
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British racing needs to address the harm being done to the sport because bookmakers restrict huge numbers of punters to betting pennies.
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That's a great post on Santa Anita roggrain , probably more chance of Shoemark getting his job back as there is of replicating over here.
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Hayden,isnt it a great way of getting people in the door.
They'll have more money in their pockets to spend on food and drink and it makes it as accessible as going to a pub or bar. I hope it works well for them. I hope the 'powers that be' over here are watching as it could well be a game changer. Unlike the offer I received from Royal Ascot yesterday , offering me a 5 course lunch plus afternoon tea and a complimentary bar for the princely sum of £3,090 . Tuesday is sold out and they have a capacity of 180. . Must be corporates entertaining as that is a nuts price. . |
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For years and years Racing has been trying to attract a 'new audience' and a 'youth interest'.
None of the previous attempts have had any real impact, yet here we go again! When will the BHA learn? Racing is about BETTING, first and foremost. UK society is now all prissy about betting - unless it is the precious sport of football - and until the BHA fight back against that no medium- to long-term racegoers will be created. The current generation of hardcore, regular racegoers largely did not introduce their children and grandchildren to the sport (as the regulars were introduced themselves by their family elders) because of music nights / family fun days / ladies days and all the other tripe designed to sell loads of drink while doing nothing to make people want to come racing for the sport and the betting itself. I despair.... |
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Agree above post
It’s about betting end off Society and so called bookmakers don’t want you playing Unless play slots and roulette even that tree been cut down Don’t know what 18+ youngsters want to do as mine not there yet for while What I do know is not in bookies have score on 5s poke be reject Not in sight |
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Hard to disagree with any of that Knight
 Always interesting having conversations with people who play the lottery and attend bingo who insist they don't bet. Interesting you mention the word tripe , the next meeting i'll attend is Haydock on July 4th because the wife wants to see Tom Jones  Good punting |
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Oneten. I would if I lived over there!
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Nice little grift for, Simon. Expect lot's of colourful power point presentations and meaningless slogans
I'll echo what most of you are saying. How about looking after the fan's of the sport you've already got? Word of mouth about what a good experience works better than any Advertising campaign will ever achieve. But the Racecourses run the sport now and unless this changes nothing can be done to take the game forward. Imagine treating racegoers like children by checking their bags for food and alcohol.... absolutely ridiculous! |
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The one course that's got it right is York. Grandstand 3 day pass next week: £59.00
Infield (excellent view of the racing, picnics/drinks allowed to be brought in) £20.00 for 3 day pass. That infield is always packed. Food is good and reasonably priced. |
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Quality track.
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Any punter who doesn’t like York shouldn’t be following the game tbh.
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The Knight, you sir are bang on the money . A good post .
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pickled pork is ok if you aint interested in winning
impossible track |
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Glad to see that we all appreciate how York almost always plays it right. As per usual, I will be there for the 3 days next week - 3 day County Stand badge £99 when bought 'early bird' last December.
As for the 'impossible track to win' remark from mitolo. Well, it ain't easy there I will agree with that but nowhere is impossible to win at if punters show patience and adapt their betting to the cards presented to them. I wish punters would remember they do not have to bet in races they feel they cannot solve!! Anyway, at York I would argue that the view from the top floor of the Gimcrack Stand (the one with the barber's poles) is the best in Europe. Why other tracks do not take a lead from how York does things is beyond me. I was at Notts last night (Friday). A smallish crowd but bigger than usual midweek. Noticeable, though, the number of young people there as a forerunner to going on to a club etc. But today, like almost all regulars, I would not be seen within 10 miles of the gaff because it is Ladies Day. I only miss 3 or 4 meetings a year at Notts and Ladies Day is the first of them. Last night, the amount of food and drink outlets setting up for today was more than enough to suggest how today will be a bun fight of the racing ignorant! |
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Basically, bookies take too much from punters (£billions) without giving enough back to enable lower entry fees and other breaks to make racing more appealing.
Even if they did it isnt sustainable for most in the current economic climate with rising prices elsewhere, leisure take a hit. The existing enthusiasts who may pay over the odds are dropping as there is now too dominant a stable on both the jumps and flat. I as a punter felt like the pss was ripped out of punters at Cheltenham by Mullins. Oh dear he is going to be around for years switching horses late, providing disinformation, allowing the jockey to decide what goes where, so antepost is a non starter for a long time in the future. Odda on shots on the day well then you have a new clerk of the course fking up the ground where it is way faster than the softer ground the form is built on all season. O’Brien half the time cant be @rsed to get his best horse ready for the Guineas even though it is pegasus and he certainly doesnt tell you until you are committed with his bookie owners. I could go on butalso cant be @rsed as someone will come on here and say they can do as they want blah blah blah, have you ever trained/ridden/copulated with a horse to know better. Betfair just sent me a free £20 bet which is unprecedented i believe Cheltenham will have pssed off a lot of punters like myself. |
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and lets be honest without antepost Cheltenham is much diminished for a large percentage of regular punters and there will be a drop off rate as we are seeing due to this and the rip off prices going there.
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Not one mention of the horses themselves, either by the BHA or the above posters.
The only thing that you need to go to the racecourse for that is not available elsewhere is to see the thoroughbred in the flesh and in action. The more they separate the people from the horses under the guise of 'health & safety', the less of an incentive it is to visit what has become a huge food & drink binge with betting on the side. At least at the Points you can be up close and personal with the horses themselves, both pre race and standing by the fences close to the action. The thoroughbred is a magnificent beast in the flesh, but the way racing is going, big screens and more 'tellies than Currys' in the bars can only lead to virtual racing being shown with no reason to transport the horses to the racecourse. |
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Racecourses are awash with booze tents…
Just as well or the game would be buried…. |
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Oaks Trial. Runner that finishes last picks up 6k for turning up and Black Type!
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Loper, that is one of the several reasons why I and many others prefer pointing to under rules these days.
You can see the racing close up and be part of it. As a bonus it is without all the half naked / sockless joes / drunken idiots that want to be seen on a race course because it might be "instagrammable"... |
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Bollocks and Double Bollocks to so called Premier Raceday
This Ascot card is an atrocity |
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french derby grandstand finish from 15 euros
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10 euros went i went in 2002
Includes a card as well though  |
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It 'kills' them that everyday horse racing remains predominately white and boomer. See a meeting at Fakenham for example, it's like seeing a bit of England placed in a time capsule from thirty years ago. For me that's a hugely positive thing, but tptb would be incredibly uncomfortable with such radical perseveration of our heritage. They won't be satisfied until it's all just a memory.
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preservation, not perseveration
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