BorgWarner - The Borg-Warner Trophy™ goes Social
A trophy so legendary, it can’t be confined to race day—so we’re making it iconic all year long.
Project Info
Few brands possess an asset as iconic as the Borg-Warner Trophy™—a 6-foot-tall symbol of racing excellence featuring 111 sculpted faces of Indy 500 winners since 1936. Traditionally showcased only during race weekend, BorgWarner knew that the Trophy deserved far more than a few days in the spotlight. With a vision to honor its rich history and dedicated fandom, together we activated the Trophy into the centerpiece of a social-first strategy, allowing its stories to shine year-round to racing fans and beyond.
We started on X, then grew the Trophy’s presence across multiple channels, engaging with a wide spectrum of race world entities (including drivers, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, IndyCar, and broadcast networks) and trophy peers like the Larry O’Brien NBA Trophy and the Stanley Cup to spark engagement beyond motorsports. On site, the L|A Social Studio captures an entire year’s worth of content over just one race weekend at the Indy 500, fueling an always-on, social-first calendar. This includes:
On-the-ground media production with drivers, teams, and fans to create evergreen assets.
Real-time coverage of race weekend, maximizing excitement when conversation peaks.
Meme-driven and community-first content designed to keep the Trophy relevant long after the checkered flag.
Cultural and moment-driven activations that repurpose Indy 500 footage in fresh, engaging ways throughout the year.
Results: The Trophy Takes the Podium
Social engagement surged—with total cross-channel engagement up 438% and audience growth of 44% in 2024.
Race weekend ‘24 delivered a 67% boost in impressions from ‘23, clocking over 100k organic impressions.
Impact extended beyond the Trophy channels, driving record engagement on BorgWarner’s corporate LinkedIn and an increase in Careers page traffic.
By transforming the Indy 500 from a single event into a year-round conversation, BorgWarner strengthens its legacy, audience connection, and brand leadership—all while making the wait for #IsItMayYet a little more exciting
