Background - Executive Creative Director
As part of the One Discovery World management I lead a small team of content strategists based in Paris as the Executive Creative Director within the brand partnerships team for both Discovery and Eurosport. This team developed and delivered creative solutions to client briefs and unlocking custom content opportunities by connecting brand partners with core editorial sports properties like the Le Mans 24 Hours Endurance Race, the Cycling Grand Tours, Grand Slam Tennis, Wintersports Grand Prix, Equestrian events, the Olympics and many more. Paul's team worked together with ad sales and the brand partnerships team to provide global clients with solutions that access Eurosport and Discovery audiences, sports rights, talent and production technology as well as premium content.
Commercial sizzle reel featuring key projects:
The Future of Transport - A new social content platform
Developed in partnership with Haymarket Publishing, Bolt 21 was created with brands in mind. Content is pitched to consumers of electric vehicles with a credible, accessible editorial tone of voice and connected to Discovery and Eurosport's rights ownership and large fan base around Formula E Live racing programming.
Bolt21 promotes 'The Future of Transport' and wider topic of e-mobility to provide brands with a communication platform primarily across social networks. The content platform has been created for multiple sponsors and presenting partners. Think 'Wired for Cars.'
Bolt 21's audience acquisition strategy utilises the Haymarket auto channels like Pistonheads and their tech title, Stuff as well as the Discovery/Eurosport O&O platforms like MotorTrend
Bolt 21 is built for brands, engagement with Bolt 21 will not only link advertisers to the race series and will provide multi-sector brands with impactful commercial and native opportunities for impact. The partnership with Haymarket provides additional print publishing activity and links with ABB/FIA Formula E would unlock brand and content activity around the events.
Contact HRPR to learn more about this project.
Women in Sport - A report and new vision, in partnership with award-winning agency, Gravity Road.
I engaged and lead projects with external brand strategy and creative agencies including Stink - who developed new creative for Google around the Olympics. Together with Gravity Road, I lead work on a compelling 'Women in Sport' content strategy and sales narrative, timed for the Women's Euros in 2017.
Thomas J Barrett was the Chairman of soap manufacturer A&F Pears and a pioneer of brand marketing. He has been called "the father of modern advertising”.
110 years ago he talked about the importance of brands and advertisers remaining relevant to audiences by moving with the times and staying current.
This insight provided us with the platform to build a compelling narrative around Women's Sport.
Created to deliver a platform to engage with audiences around the 2017 FIFA Women's Euros, Women in Sport allowed Eurosport to discuss our thoughts on the untapped potential, new opportunities and growth that lies ahead for brands and the network.
Contact HRPR to learn more about this project.
Legend du Mans - AFP editorial series, Eurosport Originals
Tom Kristensen is nine-times Le Mans 24 Hour race winner, Audi ambassador for life as well as a watch brand ambassador. Legends of Le Mans is a companion film series to the exclusive live broadcast of the 24 hour endurance car race held annually since 1923 in Le Mans, France.
I worked in partnership with Sebastian Tiffert, head of the editorial motorsport team, to develop the story-telling and filming approach, proposing the feature cars as well as creating a sales narrative to take to brands.
The 24 Hour of Le Mans has iconic status in racing history with many great marques winning the title across the last 95 years and Tom Kristensen has a long association with the race and with Eurosport. So, who better to get in the driving seat of the original cars back on the track where they claimed victory.
Thanks to Tom's contacts, Eurosport editorial were able to secure the cars as well as access to the track to produce a limited editorial series starring four of most import race-winners, Bentley, Ferrari, Matra and Ford.
The films featured Tom testing the cars to the limit back on the Le Mans circuit and to give his perspective as a multiple Le Mans race winner.
See below the Ford GT40 film produced by Executive Producer, Olivier Laurence of Eurosport
SPORTS LAB - Tech Vertical
'Technology has influenced the way sport is played, how sports are evolving and how they are being watched’.
There is a lot of technology in sport but on Eurosport no real home for technology brands. In response to this, I developed a new tech-focussed editorial content vertical and content eonvironment in which for multiple advertisers will be able to showcase their products and services.
I worked together with Marc Mingoia, Head of special projects, Stefano Bernabino, Head of Olympic Broadcast, and Sophie Berge, Head of short-form editorial content to develop a new editorial concept called Sports Lab - built for brands.
Sports Lab allows brands to be integrated into the content and enables them to tell their sports related, tech stories. They will also be able to use the material on their own channels.
Sports Lab is a flexible format that provides one-off or week long activation with options to have on-the-ground activity at trade events. It supports the editorial line, the main sports programme pillars and allows complementary stories to be told, focussing on innovation in sport. The Sports Lab activation also featured on-the-ground live journalism with key personnel and talent at the Web Summit Tech conference.
HEAD Partnership
The partnership with racquet manufacturer HEAD provided a powerful mix of editorial content, a specially produced TVC showcasing the new MXG racquet and a media plan that provided continuity of voice across platforms before, during and after the French Open in 2017. The project was filmed on location at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, where Federer and Nadal were competing. Djokovic, Cilic and Frizz were also filmed at the PGA resort at La Quinta. Product filming took place at the HEAD factory in Kennelbach, Austria in their development studios.
Contact HRPR to learn more about this project.
Editorial/commercial Influencer campaign - Israel Tourism
2018 marked the first time a cycling Grand Tour will start outside of Europe. Tel Aviv hosted the 'Big Start' of the Giro d'Italia on the 4th of May. To support this event, we partnered with Sports/lifestyle influencers, Matthias Dandois and Hugo Guias to create a content-led campaign for Israel Tourism. Paris-based adventure production house, Phileas, travelled to Israel with the talent to capture a film series that showcasing the great outdoors experiences throughout the country. My team produced a series of short-form films from existing brand-first 'Eurosport Shorts' title catalogue: 'On the Road' and 'Road Trip'. These editorial shows featured across our digital platforms whilst the influencers used their own social networks to amplify additional personal stories ranging from the street vibe of Tel Aviv to solitude of the Dead Sea and an unforgettable final spiritual dawn bike ride on the holy site of Masada.
Contact HRPR to learn more about this project.