[THE CLIENT]
Goodwood Festival of Speed
[THE YEAR]
2024
[THE PROBLEM]
IBM had long set its sights on entering motorsport. To win over Ferrari, we needed more than vision – we needed proof. Goodwood became our stage to demonstrate how IBM’s AI, data and XR capabilities could reimagine fan engagement for over 200,000 live attendees and 390 million global fans.
[THE ROLE]
As Strategy & Design Lead, I set the vision and led the design and delivery of five AI/XR proofs of concept in six weeks. I partnered with IBM global marketing, technology and comms, and worked with Goodwood to turn concepts into working demos: AI race commentary, simulated races, VR experiences, smart fan companions, AI highlights generators.
[THE IMPACT]
Delivered 5 working PoCs in 6 weeks for a live motorsport stage
Produced the executive showreel used in F1 and IBM board discussions
Helped secure IBM’s multi-year Scuderia Ferrari F1 partnership
Positioned IBM as Official Fan Engagement & Data Analytics Partner, reaching 390M+ fans
Created a reusable sports innovation playbook now used across IBM Sports & Entertainment
Reimagined Fan Engagement for over 750,000 Petrolheads
FROM DEMO TO DEAL IN SIX WEEKS
Goodwood was our live testbed, not a trade show. In six weeks we designed and delivered five working proofs of concept for motorsport: AI race commentary, simulated races, an immersive VR booth, a smart fan dashboard and an AI highlights generator. Built to prove value on the hill, pitched to executives in the room, and cut into a showreel that helped seal the Ferrari partnership.
5 Art of the Possible Proof of Concepts in 6 weeks
BUILT FOR FANS. BUILT FOR THE BOARDROOM.
Fans want connection, not just content. We turned raw data into moments that mattered: real-time insight, personalised highlights and immersive touchpoints. For the business, we set a clear aim to lift digital engagement and reach a global audience of more than 390 million. The work positioned IBM as the fan engagement and data analytics partner that could move numbers and tell a better story.
From Goodwood to The Grid
SYSTEMS, NOT STUNTS
This was not a one-off activation. We created a reusable playbook for sport: rapid concepting, cross-team delivery, and a measurable narrative from prototype to partnership. Strategy with marketing. Build with engineering. Sign-off with leadership. The result was a coherent vision for motorsport that travelled beyond Goodwood and into a multi-year relationship with Scuderia Ferrari.
JARED SMITHERS
©2025