Bringing new audiences into sport: Why bold sponsorships work.

In sponsorship, the real value lies in cultural relevance and strategic alignment. Not awareness or reach, and definitely not logo placement. The most exciting partnerships right now are the ones making sport feel different, broader and more inclusive. It's all about being less predictable.

Some of the smartest activations in the last few years haven’t come from obvious pairings. They’ve come from unexpected collaborations that shift perception and pull in new communities. Partnerships like Elemis and Aston Martin F1, or Gucci and Major League Baseball, aren't just creative. They work because they connect sport to people who may have never seen themselves in it.

Here’s how that’s happening, and why bold is often the most effective approach.

Elemis and Aston Martin F1: soft power in a high-performance sport

A luxury skincare brand stepping into motorsport might have been unexpected, but the intent was clear. Reposition F1 as more lifestyle-driven, more inclusive, and more relevant beyond its traditional fan base.

This wasn’t about visibility, it was about association. Elemis brought its wellness-minded, largely female audience into a space that had long been dominated by male viewers. At the same time, Aston Martin as a brand gained cultural relevance in a new context, one centred around self-care, performance, and modern luxury. James Bond let us into his skincare routine and we loved it. 

The partnership helped broaden F1’s reach and reshape the way it shows up in adjacent industries, from beauty to fashion to wellness.

Gucci and MLB: when fashion reframes fandom

Gucci’s collaboration with Major League Baseball in the United States didn’t follow the usual rules either. Instead of activating through matchdays or athlete ambassadors like many luxury brands do, Gucci redesigned team logos and icons into high-end apparel and accessories.

This wasn’t aimed at sports fans. It was aimed at fashion consumers. It had major impact when the collaboration took baseball into global fashion conversations and made the sport visible in places where it rarely features, like luxury boutiques in Tokyo, Paris and Milan.

For MLB, it reframed their teams as cultural properties with aesthetic value. For Gucci, it added credibility by tying into something with grassroots heritage and iconic status amongst many cultural groups. The result was a cultural crossover that expanded the audience for both sides without compromising either brand.

Red Bull: owning the platform, not just the space

Red Bull is often referenced as a unique case in sponsorship, but really it should be seen as a best-in-class example of brand-led sports strategy. Red Bull doesn’t just associate with sport, it literally builds the sports it wants to be part of.

We might be used to Red Bull in F1, but in cliff jumping and pole sliding, Red Bull shows us that it creates the events, teams and media properties that define its identity. The brand understands that audience attention isn’t won through passive association. It’s earned through content, storytelling and emotional connection.

Red Bull is constantly introducing new people to sports they might never have discovered on their own. Their platforms are welcoming, entertaining and built for how modern audiences engage with sport: through highlights, personalities, and behind-the-scenes access.

Louis Vuitton and the NBA: prestige and performance

When Louis Vuitton became the official trophy travel case partner of the NBA, it didn’t just signal luxury. It introduced a new kind of relationship between fashion and sport, rooted in shared values of excellence and cultural leadership.

The partnership extended into co-branded collections, locker room trunks, and social campaigns that showed NBA players as more than just athletes, rather as global tastemakers. In return, Vuitton gained relevance with younger, more diverse audiences who see sport and fashion as part of the same cultural ecosystem.

The NBA wasn’t just looking for a luxury partner. It wanted a collaborator that could elevate the brand in Europe, Asia and other global markets where prestige and image still carry significant weight. This partnership did exactly that.

Why bold sponsorships are landing

They speak to identity, not just interest

These partnerships aren’t built around audience demographics. They’re built around cultural signals, shared values and emotional relevance. That’s what gets people to care.

They attract different kinds of fans

By shifting the context, putting sport into beauty, fashion or wellness, these partnerships open the door to audiences who connect with the culture, even if they’ve never watched a match or race.

They work across channels

Bold partnerships create richer stories and more flexible creative. They deliver content that’s built for digital, for social and for conversation. They show up in places that traditional sponsorships often miss.

Sponsorship has evolved. The most effective partnerships now aren’t the ones that look safe or logical. They’re the ones that challenge assumptions, shift perception and bring new people into the story.

If your goal is relevance, not just visibility, then bold isn’t risky. It’s necessary.