Defining a new story for the crown jewel of horse racing
Truth
Founded in 1750, The Jockey Club is a non-profit organisation with a passion for horse racing at its heart.
Today, it’s the largest commercial horse racing organisation in the United Kingdom, boasting a stable of the most prestigious races and racecourses in the world, including The Grand National at Aintree and The Cheltenham Festival.
In January 2021, we began working with The Jockey Club to create a new brand proposition, narrative, long-term vision, and enhanced customer experience for one of its most important races and events - The Derby at Epsom Downs.
Considered by many to be the crown jewel in the racing calendar, our work needed to shape and define the future of The Derby - while still honouring the history, legacy, and social importance of a race that has been run since 1780.
With the Platinum Jubilee celebrations just around the corner, we needed to make sure we created an experience that not only draws and unites racing fans from all walks of life - but also one fit for a Queen.
Change
With the event’s diverse audience in mind, we collaborated closely with the team at The Jockey Club to define The Derby's vision, brand pillars and cultural values.
Drawing on this work, we developed a new brand proposition: “Racing’s Most Spectacular Carnival” to encapsulate the way the event's elite racing pedigree combines with the carnival spirit of The Hill. This proposition is at the heart of The Derby's new brand identity system, exemplified by the iconic "Derby Horse" illustrated by Charlie Davis
In addition, we set out an extensive future vision document to define customer experience at a granular level. This work included an ambitious five-year plan for facilities and hospitality tiering, as well as a launch marketing communication strategy.
Success
The Derby now has a clear roadmap and vision for the future – encompassing storytelling, a new brand identity system, hospitality offer and tiering plan that will see The Derby racing into 2026.
