Company: America's Best Racing and Branch & Bramble, New York, NY
Nomination Submitted by: Branch & Bramble
Company Description: America's Best Racing is a multimedia fan development and awareness-building platform, initiated by The Jockey Club, designed to increase the profile and visibility of North America's best Thoroughbred racing events with a primary focus on the sport's lifestyle and competition. Branch & Bramble is an agency specializing in values-based marketing for lifestyle brands.
Nomination Category: Marketing Campaign Categories - Specialty
Nomination Sub Category: Influencer Marketing Campaign of the Year
 Nomination Title: A Stake in Stardom: From Social Creators to Racehorse Owners—A Viral Sports Marketing Success
- If you are providing written answers to the questions for this category, you must answer this first question: Specify the date on which this campaign or program was launched:
The third season of A Stake in Stardom launched in March 2024, continuing its mission of transforming influencers into authentic brand advocates for Thoroughbred racing.
- Which will you submit for this nomination, a video of up to five (5) minutes in length about the nominated campaign or program, OR written answers to the questions for this category? CHOOSE ONE:
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the nominated video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video.
- If you are providing written answers to the questions for this category, you must answer this second question: Describe the genesis of the nominated campaign or program: the reasons it was initiated, the challenges it was created to address, the problems it was developed to solve, etc. (up to 250 words):
Total 210 words used.
America’s Best Racing (ABR) partnered with Branch & Bramble to create A Stake in Stardom, an influencer-driven campaign designed to change the perception of Thoroughbred racing. Historically seen as a sport for wealthy, older men, horse racing has struggled to connect with younger, diverse, and digital-first audiences.
Traditional sponsorships and one-to-one marketing efforts had proven ineffective at shifting public perception. Instead, A Stake in Stardom leveraged a one-to-many strategy, carefully selecting high-impact influencers who could introduce millions of new fans to the sport through engaging and authentic storytelling.
Rather than simply partnering with influencers for race-day promotions, ABR and Branch & Bramble took a groundbreaking approach: turning them into actual racehorse owners. This deep emotional investment made influencer participation genuine and sustained, transforming them into long-term brand advocates.
A key challenge was horse racing’s short competitive window—unlike traditional sports stars, racehorses only compete at the highest level for one season. The campaign solved this by selecting influencers with strong storytelling skills, ensuring that audiences followed the journey of their racehorses across multiple platforms.
Through this carefully executed strategy, ABR and Branch & Bramble successfully expanded the sport’s reach, increased event attendance, and changed the narrative around Thoroughbred racing, proving that influencer marketing can be both highly effective and deeply immersive.
- If you are providing written answers to the questions for this category, you must answer this third question: Describe the development of the campaign or program: the planning process, the goal setting, the creative and media development, the scheduling, etc. (up to 250 words):
Total 190 words used.
ABR, in collaboration with Branch & Bramble, designed A Stake in Stardom to be the first influencer campaign to embed social creators as true participants in the sport, rather than just external promoters.
The campaign’s development focused on one-to-many influencer marketing, prioritizing influencers with:
-
High engagement & audience trust
-
Multi-platform influence (TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube)
-
Strong cross-category impact (sports, entertainment, and lifestyle)
Key objectives:
-
Expand ABR’s audience exponentially—using influencers with strong engagement and shareability.
-
Increase attendance & viewership—making Thoroughbred racing a cultural touchpoint.
-
Create lasting brand advocates—ensuring influencers continued engaging with the sport beyond the campaign.
The team executed a content-driven media strategy, featuring:
-
Ownership announcements, positioned like professional athlete signings.
-
Behind-the-scenes stable visits, making audiences feel personally connected to the sport.
-
Live race-day takeovers, allowing influencers to showcase the thrill of the races in real time.
The campaign was strategically scheduled around marquee racing events, including the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup, ensuring that influencer content was timely, relevant, and high-impact.
By aligning influencers’ personal narratives with the excitement of racing, A Stake in Stardom successfully transformed social creators into dedicated Thoroughbred racing enthusiasts—a major shift for the industry.
- If you are providing written answers to the questions for this category, you must answer this fourth question: Outline the activities and concrete results of this campaign or program since the beginning of 2023. Even if your initiative started before 2023, limit your response to activities and results since the beginning of 2023 only (up to 250 words):
Total 146 words used.
By implementing a one-to-many influencer approach, ABR and Branch & Bramble drove exponential audience growth for Thoroughbred racing.
2023 Expansion:
-
Grew to 7 influencers, 3 ownership groups, 12 racehorses, and 1 racetrack partnership.
-
Delivered 133.6 million reach, 2.8 million video views, and 538,522 social engagements.
2024 Growth:
-
ABR and Branch & Bramble onboarded Griffin Johnson (10M+ followers) and Heather McMahan (900K+ followers) to expand audience penetration.
-
15.5 million video views—a 453% increase from 2023.
-
888,000 social engagements—a 64.75% increase from 2023.
-
15% increase in track attendance, 25% rise in online viewership, and a 2,400% boost in TV coverage.
The campaign extended well beyond the influencers themselves, as audiences became emotionally invested in their racehorses. This resulted in record-breaking engagement across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, proving that the right influencer partnerships can radically reshape the perception of a legacy sport.
- You have the option to reference here any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 217 words used.
We have linked to the top-performing posts from influencers Griffin Johnson and Heather McMahan to highlight the high engagement and excitement generated by the campaign. Griffin’s top-performing TikTok post showcases his experience as a racehorse owner, while Heather’s viral Instagram post highlights her personal take on horse racing and ownership. IndyCar driver Alex Rossi’s introduction to horse racing helped kick off his journey as a participant in A Stake in Stardom, further engaging new audiences. A full look at all participating influencers can be seen in the Sizzle Reel.
Additionally, Griffin Johnson’s visit to Churchill Downs provided an inside look at the historic racetrack and his growing connection to the sport.
Several industry publications validate the program’s impact. The Paulick Report details how A Stake in Stardom influencers experienced the 2023 Kentucky Derby as minority owners, reinforcing its unique engagement approach. The 2024 Horse Racing Facts Report highlights the 2,400% increase in TV coverage, showcasing the program’s role in modernizing the sport’s audience reach. America’s Best Racing provides an overview of the program expansion, while BloodHorse documents A Stake in Stardom’s Gold Stevie Award win. The 2024 Press Release details key milestones.
These materials represent a small sampling of the extensive content created, demonstrating A Stake in Stardom’s effectiveness in bringing new audiences to Thoroughbred racing.
| Attachments/Videos/Links: |
|---|
|
