Dark Horses Harnesses the Experiences and Stories of Race Goers to Show That ‘The Going Is Good'

What most people don’t know is that with more than 4 million visitors a year, racing is the second most attended sport in the UK, which means it has millions of exciting, inspiring and beautiful stories to tell.

In its first campaign for Great British Racing since winning the business earlier in the year, Dark Horses is delving into these real-life experiences of racegoers to tell emotionally engaging human stories about how racing brings people closer together. And attract even more people to the races in the process.

To urge this message towards the winning post, the agency has created a new brand platform, ‘The Going is Good’ - a play on the tradition at the races, where, before every race, an announcement is made about the condition of the ground. It is based on research showing that while racegoers rate socialising as one of the most important aspects of a day out, that is not the whole story for those who attend. It is actually more about the shared excitement with those closest to them that makes racing so joyous and special.

To capture this excitement and emotion, the campaign uses personal voice notes and handwritten messages to bring the platform and the experiences of racegoers to life, enhancing the joyful connections and making the experiences of race day as palpable as possible. These captivating, effervescent and genuine stories will run across VOD, OOH, radio, social and digital channels.

The hero film brings together a host of videos, voice notes and still images - a mixture of real videos, shot footage and GBR race day footage - from a host of race goers. Each one has their own VO to tell their own specific story. As each one ends, the next one picks up from the final word and tells their story, cleverly turning them all into one continuous narrative. The film finishes with the line “4 million memories made every year, the going is good”.

The radio uses the same voice note concept and plays out a conversation between a pair of women excitedly talking about their day at the races.

Great British Racing is the marketing and promotional body for British Horseracing. It’s aim is  to build British Racing’s profile, reputation and relevance and ultimately attract new consumers to the sport.

Adam Burns, creative director, at Dark Horses, said, “We wanted to create something unapologetically positive. Horse racing has given me some incredible memories over the years, it’s a thrilling spectacle, but also a social experience that stays with you. It might surprise some to learn it’s the second most attended sport in the UK after football, but that speaks volumes. Racing has a unique energy, and we wanted to celebrate the joy of shared experiences and excitement that make a day at the races so special.”

Simon Michaelides, interim chief customer officer at Great British Racing, said, “We’re very excited by this fresh advertising approach to the sport, showcasing the experiences of 4.8 million existing racegoers to inspire more people to follow suit. The campaign has researched incredibly well with existing fans and potential new fans alike and we are confident that it will deliver strong results.”