193 replies to this topic

[Victor]

According to the Portuguese Autosport Vodafone is leaving McLaren and F1 at the end of the season. McLaren is supposed to be chasing Coca-Cola to replace Vodafone.
Although the Portuguese Autosport is a decent newspaper I would like to confirm this but could not find references to it in other sites.
Has anyone heard anything about this?

[TheWilliamzer]

"We're working hard together in the Coca-Cola McLaren Mercedes to improve the car massively..."

I wonder how that will sound like in the press conference!

[Joe Tanto]

Read on twitter that next year's McLaren livery will be striking, so its probably true, it being on twitter 'an all.
Personally, good, although this year's Lewis hat is better quality than previously, I fancy something different.
Either way looks like an awful lot of new Lewis hats will be sold next year.

[olliek88]

If the coke coca cola deal does come off one theory is that they'll use their energy drink "Relentless" as the name on the car/branding etc rather than Coke itself. Have to say Relentless Mclaren Mercedes sounds an awful lot better than Coca Cola Mclaren Mercedes!

[chrisblades85]

I know Vodafone are pulling the plug for Australian sponsorships, haven't heard about this though.

[Amphicar]

Perhaps the is Martin Whitmarsh's secret plan to improve McLaren's F1 fortunes - after all:

[Ross Stonefeld]

I thought the Vodafone deal goes until the end of 2013?

The Coca Cola thing is partly true. They're looking around and it might be one of the energy drinks(they have a bunch, including NOS and Full Throttle) but I don't see them spending Vodafone sized checks plus Lucozade because they couldn't have both on the car.

The people working on it really need to tighten the ship. There's too much information being gossiped.

[oetzi]

You're unlikely to see a Coke sponsoring a team as Coke. They see their brand as too big for that.

If Bernie had ever wanted to run the Coca Cola F1 circus, they might have come in under their own name.

If they sponsor a team, it'll be another of their brands. Or maybe a few of their brands..

[Morbus]

According to the Portuguese Autosport Vodafone is leaving McLaren and F1 at the end of the season. McLaren is supposed to be chasing Coca-Cola to replace Vodafone.
Although the Portuguese Autosport is a decent newspaper I would like to confirm this but could not find references to it in other sites.
Has anyone heard anything about this?

Portuguese Autosport is not a reliable source. They often newspost hoaxes and rumours. I'll wait until a proper site says something about it.

[Amphicar]

Portuguese Autosport is not a reliable source. They often newspost hoaxes and rumours. I'll wait until a proper site says something about it.

The rumour seems to have been started by Christan Sylt: is this a proper site?

[Fastcake]

The rumour seems to have been started by Christan Sylt: is this a proper site?

Well if Sylt wrote something on pitpass it must be true

I've heard the rumour, remains that until McLaren say something. As Ross said, I would be surprised with Lucozade on the car - and the GSK contract is far more than a simple sponsorship deal.

[midgrid]

You're unlikely to see a Coke sponsoring a team as Coke. They see their brand as too big for that.

If Bernie had ever wanted to run the Coca Cola F1 circus, they might have come in under their own name.

If they sponsor a team, it'll be another of their brands. Or maybe a few of their brands..

Coca-Cola was happy to sponsor Nordic Racing in F3000 ten or so years ago.

[OoxLox]

Well I know Lucozade has a pretty benign brand image, but GSK? Not a company I'd want to be closely tied to judging by stuff like this, though admittedly I'm not trying to keep an F1 team in the black.

[jimjimjeroo]

McLaren used to be sponsored by Scweppes which in the UK is Coca-Cola

[Amphicar]

A few more examples of Coca Cola sponsored cars:

[Henrytheeigth]

http://forums.autosp...w...=128582&hl= lol couldn't resist

[oetzi]

Coca-Cola was happy to sponsor Nordic Racing in F3000 ten or so years ago.

If you go to Marrakech in August, I doubt you'll need an umbrella.

Doesn't mean it's never rained there.

[BigCHrome]

Joe Saward thinks it won't happen. More likely that Lucozade takes over as title sponsor.

http://joesaward.wor...or-worse-story/

[JRizzle86]

Joe Saward thinks it won't happen. More likely that Lucozade takes over as title sponsor.

http://joesaward.wor...or-worse-story/

No doubt Vodafone are loosening their grip on their sponsorship but Lucozade. A very small drinks brand in comparison to Coke, Red Bull, Pepsi. I admit Glaxo is pretty huge but promoting Lucozade to that worldwide level when it wouldn't even be on sale in most countries shown seems pointless. The coke theory does carry weight even though Saward wants to dismiss it.

[sumpthy]

Joe Saward thinks it won't happen. More likely that Lucozade takes over as title sponsor.

http://joesaward.wor...or-worse-story/

If that happens will McLaren actually run in McLaren orange?

[Zippel]

A few more examples of Coca Cola sponsored cars:

Wayne Gardner was able to bring in Coke for the Aussie V8s.





As you can see he didn't have much luck with them.

Edited by Zippel, 14 July 2012 - 00:16.

[BigCHrome]

If that happens will McLaren actually run in McLaren orange?

No, they will never run in orange. Their colors are chrome and red regardless of sponsors.

[Ross Stonefeld]

Saward's article = I have beverage gossip too but since I go to more races you must take mine more seriously

[pingu666]

nearly all coke deals in the past have been local/national distributers

[SCUDmissile]

Not trying to troll here, but if Coca Cola doesn't come (would be a major coup if it did) it does not look too great for McLaren in terms of the future, what with Mercedes also pulling out of the major finding, now Vodafone too?

It is a bit of a hit, and many have been speculating that McLaren have been a little constrained financially right now as it is.

[Nikos Spagnol]

No, they will never run in orange. Their colors are chrome and red regardless of sponsors.

:/

Their colors are "chrome" and red as long as their sponsors don't say otherwise.

[Sakae]

Joe Saward thinks it won't happen. More likely that Lucozade takes over as title sponsor.

http://joesaward.wor...or-worse-story/

Sounds irritated more by people who have access to a keyboard but no credentials, rather than the article itself.

Edited by Sakae, 14 July 2012 - 04:59.

[Tardis40]

OMG! McLaren is going to be funded by a "Drinks Company" !!!

[johnmhinds]

GSK seem to be completely wasting their money advertising Lucozade, not that they really have any other sports linked brands they could advertise.

And the way they are using the Lucazade logo at the moment makes it look way too close to the Vodafone logo that people are used to seeing for it to be making any impact amongst anyone but the most ardent fans.

Edited by johnmhinds, 14 July 2012 - 07:32.

[lukestanton91]

If the coke coca cola deal does come off one theory is that they'll use their energy drink "Relentless" as the name on the car/branding etc rather than Coke itself. Have to say Relentless Mclaren Mercedes sounds an awful lot better than Coca Cola Mclaren Mercedes!

That, or Monster Energy, which is also a Coca Cola owned brand.

But I agree with Joe Saward. Mclaren are in a long term deal with GlaxoSmithKline using the Lucozade Sport brand. Lucozade will probably step up to be the Mclaren title Sponsor. They already have a big advertising presence on Mclaren's Car.

It would be interesting to see what the livery would be like, if Lucozade do indeed, become the title Sponsor

Edited by lukestanton91, 14 July 2012 - 07:33.

[KWSN - DSM]

Until reading this thread I was not aware what Lucozade was. Guess I am not the impressionable fan GSK wants to hit with their sponsorship. Coca Cola is a well known brand, so naturally I would know what that is all about, but actually did not really anything about Vodaphone until they started F1 sponsorship, same goes for Santander, and likely countless other companies sponsoring F1 teams.

Basically I think that the companies are overpaying for very little actual payback.

[Lazy]

No, they will never run in orange. Their colors are chrome and red regardless of sponsors.

Except when they were red and white or orange or black and silver or blue and white.

[Lazy]

Until reading this thread I was not aware what Lucozade was. Guess I am not the impressionable fan GSK wants to hit with their sponsorship. Coca Cola is a well known brand, so naturally I would know what that is all about, but actually did not really anything about Vodaphone until they started F1 sponsorship, same goes for Santander, and likely countless other companies sponsoring F1 teams.

Basically I think that the companies are overpaying for very little actual payback.

And yet now you know what Lucozade is, see how it works?

[BigCHrome]

Except when they were red and white or orange or black and silver or blue and white.

Yeah, 7/16 years ago. Were not talking about what liveries they had in the past.

[undersquare]

OMG! McLaren is going to be funded by a "Drinks Company" !!!

Hard not to fancy the Relentless brand...

[Amphicar]

Vodafone and Santander have both linked their F1 sponsorship to extensive TV, press and poster advertising, featuring Button and Hamilton. By contrast, GSK seem to have done absolutely nothing with their Lucozade sponsorship on the McLarens. I can't recall seeing linked ads in any of the media, which seems odd - GSK don't seem to be making much use of having Lucozade on the rear wings.

[undersquare]

Vodafone and Santander have both linked their F1 sponsorship to extensive TV, press and poster advertising, featuring Button and Hamilton. By contrast, GSK seem to have done absolutely nothing with their Lucozade sponsorship on the McLarens. I can't recall seeing linked ads in any of the media, which seems odd - GSK don't seem to be making much use of having Lucozade on the rear wings.

Yeah that's true. Interesting since I'd think there are a LOT of people like me who grew up thinking of Lucozade as something to drink when you're ill!

And they're next to the garage that's made billions by aggressive marketing of a fizzy drink. Well, perhaps GSK will have a rethink now the bigger opportunity is there.

[Andromeda]

The press confrences will be amazing "and the 1st place winner for Coca-Cola McLaren Mercedes"

They may not have the best car on the grid but if this is true at least they have the best team name for next year

[onewingedangel]

Vodafone and Santander have both linked their F1 sponsorship to extensive TV, press and poster advertising, featuring Button and Hamilton. By contrast, GSK seem to have done absolutely nothing with their Lucozade sponsorship on the McLarens. I can't recall seeing linked ads in any of the media, which seems odd - GSK don't seem to be making much use of having Lucozade on the rear wings.

Tropical flavour Lucozade sport multi-packs have a picture of Jenson Button on them.

Go to:
http://www.lucozade.com/
What comes up first.

Edited by onewingedangel, 14 July 2012 - 09:35.

[Lazy]

No, they will never run in orange. Their colors are chrome and red regardless of sponsors.

Except when they were red and white or orange or black and silver or blue and white.

Yeah, 7/16 years ago. Were not talking about what liveries they had in the past.

History suggest that their colours will be whatever the sponsor fancies.

[zk12]

coke and mclaren? why not

[mlsnoopy]

OMG! McLaren is going to be "sponsored" by a "Drinks Company" !!!

And RedBull are a drinks company. See the diffrence.

[olliek88]

Joe Saward thinks it won't happen. More likely that Lucozade takes over as title sponsor.

http://joesaward.wor...or-worse-story/

I suspect Joe is probably right, it makes far more sense for GSK to step up their promotion then for a rival to sponsor the team too.

Personally i'd be interested in seeing a Relentless sponsored team just to see how it would look.

[undersquare]

Tropical flavour Lucozade sport multi-packs have a picture of Jenson Button on them.

Go to:
http://www.lucozade.com/
What comes up first.

I spent a couple of minutes on there and didn't see Jense

[undersquare]

I suspect Joe is probably right, it makes far more sense for GSK to step up their promotion then for a rival to sponsor the team too.

Personally i'd be interested in seeing a Relentless sponsored team just to see how it would look.

Yeah hard to resist: Relentless McLaren Mercedes

[onewingedangel]

I spent a couple of minutes on there and didn't see Jense

The banner for the McLaren sub-site is the first thing that comes up on the main Lucozade website, with the MP4-27 taking up half the page.

The subsite itself is http://www.lucozade....rm/formula-one/

It was a seperate point to Jenson being on the tropical flavour lucozade sports multi-packs.

https://dl.dropbox.c...0714_113525.jpg

Both were in response that Lucozade aren't really taking advantage of their McLaren sponsorship.

Edited by onewingedangel, 14 July 2012 - 10:40.

[One]

Kiwi orange and Coke white-Red...

[Anonymous]

many have been speculating that McLaren have been a little constrained financially right now as it is.

Yeah, nah. If anyone has the money, it is McLaren. Look at their plans for the future.

Anyway, I'm OK with Coca-Cola!

Edited by Anonymous, 14 July 2012 - 10:37.

[Amphicar]

The banner for the McLaren sub-site is the first thing that comes up on the main Lucozade website, with the MP4-27 taking up half the page.

The subsite itself is http://www.lucozade....rm/formula-one/

It was a seperate point to Jenson being on the tropical flavour lucozade sports multi-packs.

https://dl.dropbox.c...0714_113525.jpg

Both were in response that Lucozade aren't really taking advantage of their McLaren sponsorship.

I think you have rather proved my point - this is Lucozade's own website, which will only be seen by people who deliberately visit it. Contrast that with Vodafone and Santander's high profile media advertising tied in to their F1 sponsorship.

[SCUDmissile]

Yeah, nah. If anyone has the money, it is McLaren. Look at their plans for the future.

Anyway, I'm OK with Coca-Cola!

Fair enough. I guess losing Mercedes and their biggest sponsor won't have that much effect.

I can't see the Coca Cola thing happening though.
But if they do get involved, then they will be a major F1 sponsor as well you would think, like UBS or Santander.