What makes McLaren F1 a world leader in motorsports? Sure, it’s engineering, technology, R&D, experience…But the 2024 Constructors Champions has a special weapon, a hitherto unknown helmeted superstar shaker maker, Blake the Shake.
In Dark Horse’s first work for Optimum Nutrition since winning the account earlier in the year, the agency has moved the nutrition and performance specialist beyond the machine-like conventions of the fitness category to focus on the people behind those machines.
The campaign, Racing, created to bring to life ON’s global partnership with McLaren, centers on showcasing the role of performance nutrition in fueling not just McLaren’s drivers but the entire team – from the pit crew to the engineers, the security to back-of-house staff.
To do this, Optimum Nutrition and Dark Horses introduce one of McLaren’s best-kept secrets, Blake the Shake, in the ultra-competitive world of Formula 1, where teams guard their advantages closely. Blake is McLaren’s silent yet indispensable performance specialist, shaking up the world of F1 and ensuring that everyone gets the nutrition they need to perform at their best.
The digital campaign’s hero film follows McLaren driver, Lando Norris, as he navigates the McLaren Technology Centre’s high-security corridors, passing security guards and teammates – all fuelling up with Optimum Nutrition shakes. After multiple security checkpoints, he enters a secret lab in the depths of Bond Villain-like lair, where Blake theatrically prepares a shake with precision and flair.
The hero film is supported by five localised short films featuring McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Blake making shakes together from local ingredients all based on the specific race locations. These episodes bring the human side of sports nutrition to life, with casual yet engaging moments between Blake and McLaren team members. Each episode is tailored to specific markets, reinforcing Optimum Nutrition’s impact on human performance worldwide.
The work launched on March 14 to coincide with the first race of the season.
Steve Howell, CCO at Dark Horses, stated, “In the secretive, paranoid world of Formula 1, when every team is looking over their shoulder to discover what the other team are doing, we wanted to reveal part of the secret of McLaren’s success was Optimum Nutrition and an official unofficial personal performance person called Blake the Shake.”
Bradley Pritchard, senior director of brand marketing (international) at Optimum Nutrition, added, “At Optimum Nutrition, we know that elite performance isn’t just about the car, it’s about the people behind it. Our partnership with McLaren and this brilliant campaign with Dark Horses bring to life the crucial role that proper nutrition plays in pushing human limits and unlocking potential.”
Credits:
Client: Optimum Nutrition
Senior Director of Brand Marketing (International): Bradley Pritchard
Creative Agency: Dark Horses
Creative Director: Steve Howell
Creative: Eve De Haan
Planners: Matt Readman & Cristina Diago
Production Company: Sticker Studios
Director: Luke Brookner
Executive Producer: Sam Page-Jones
Senior Producer: Giordi Caputo
Editor: Chris Wilson @ Stitch
Sound Design & Mix: Joe Munday
Post Sound House: OPM London
VFX: Christos Mavridis
Online: Paul Bryan
