How four F1 title partners made Wasserman International Agency of the Year

Given that The Race Media Awards were created specifically to celebrate the work that is undertaken by agencies, it was always anticipated that Agency of the Year would be among the most desirable and hotly contested.

In fact, the sheer level of entries and competitiveness of the submissions meant that ahead of the third iteration of the Awards in 2024, the category was divided in two: with Boutique Agency of the Year and Best International Agency better reflecting the diversity of working practices across the industry.

With the split, the criteria for the awards diverged, with Best International Agency geared to reflect a much wider body of work, a larger budget and team, and as a result greater impact.

With a portfolio that extends across almost the entire Formula 1 grid, including four title partners, Wasserman made the most compelling case in the opinion of the independent panel of judges.

"This is the first year that we entered," says Wasserman Group Vice President Scott Branch. "The competition is pretty fierce in this category, so I wanted to ensure we could put our best foot forward. 2024 was a stellar year for us in terms of the calibre of clients we won, but also the breadth and depth of services we deliver for them."

Wasserman's submission covered the 40-plus partners it works with across the world of motorsport, including American Express' new role as the Official Payment Partner of Formula 1.

The judges felt the strength, breadth and calibre of their new client acquisitions in 2024 was very impressive, alongside the campaigns that were completed on behalf of their clients were highly creative and innovative, showing a deep understanding of motorsport and trust from their clients and the teams.

In October 2023, CSM - Zak Brown's old company - was acquired by Wasserman. Inevitably there were a few hurdles to overcome as teams were integrated and new practices were assimilated, but with this period overcome, the opportunity opened up to shine a spotlight on the work being done.

"We've gone through a period of integration, but I've got a first-rate team in place now. If you look at the client portfolio that we've got now, the revenue that we're bringing into the business, the depth and breadth of services that we're now delivering for clients, and where we were able to deliver that geographically: we're the strongest we've ever been," Branch adds, "and so last year just felt like the right year for us."

The Award was collected by Clemmie Hatfield, an Associate Director who works across the title partnership PETRONAS. It was a decision designed to shine a spotlight on the team, the people that make the magic happen.

"We've got the best operators in business," says Branch, "which is why I believe so many clients want to work with us, and we consistently smash it out the park in terms of the work that we deliver."

And it's the ability to highlight this team performance internally that is one of the things that makes the Award so valuable.

"I was really pleased with the broader reaction to it internally, the number of messages I had from senior members across the business globally. For the team to have that recognition is really rewarding for me. I know how awesome they are, so it was great for others to see that too."

While there are a lot of motorsport awards, and even more in the world of marketing, prior to the creation of The Race Media Awards, there was nothing that brought these two worlds together. As a result, they have now become the industry standard. But the event is more than just an awards ceremony, it's designed to act as a networking opportunity, with no set tables, or rambling acceptance speeches.

"I love the format and it's a big reason why you want to go," says Branch. "It can be such a remote sport, that finding the opportunity to actually meet people outside of a busy race weekend is few and far between.

"When you go to a lot of the other awards ceremonies, you kind of have about 20 minutes, if you're lucky, when you've arrived before everyone has to go and find their tables. You then spend pretty much the entire evening stuck at a table with a great bunch of people, but you kind of had all the conversations you need to have, and you're looking around the room going, 'Oh god, there's another 40-50 conversations I'd love to have that I know I'm probably not going to."

Having recently brought new Williams title sponsor Atlassian into the fold, Wasserman continues to represent some of the biggest brands in motorsport. But with the competition fighting fiercely, the stage is set for an epic battle for next year's coveted International Agency of the Year crown.

"We've had a cracking start to the year so far," reckons Branch. "This year, I want to make sure that we continue the momentum we generated in 2024. I want us to focus on driving greater value for clients through the services that we offer."

To find out more about The Race Media Awards, please visit https://theracemediaawards.com/