For an event that is 150 years old, the Kentucky Derby has made a lot of young fans in recent years.
Beyond the Derby’s layers of tradition that include bourbon-soaked mint juleps, big hats, bugling and blankets of roses, there is a growing audience that is seeing and interacting with sports marketing far differently than generations before. They’re capturing the moment in front of flower-laden Instagram walls, comparing infield looks at designers’ booths and boutiques and treating the event’s guest rappers and podcasters as spectacles on par with the race itself.
They are even enjoying it with predetermined pauses between signature cocktails—or with spirits brands’ nonalcoholic offerings.
“We’re about to welcome 365,000 guests from all over the world and have 20 million people tune in from 170 territories, so we take that very seriously,” said Casey Ramage, Churchill Downs Racetrack vice president of marketing and partnership. “Whether it’s in the grandstands, premium, luxury, infield … if it’s your very first time here and you’ve just graduated from college or you’re about to go back home, you’re celebrating that moment, and everyone’s Derby celebration is just as important as the next person’s.”
