As a result, organic drink maker Tractor Beverage will debut its mocktails at Churchill Downs’ First Turn Club this year, while longtime sponsor White Claw is bringing cans of its nonalcoholic beverages—as well as a windbreaker collaboration with Kentucky Derby streetwear partner Homme + Femme. Ramage said Churchill Downs is also working on a “pause” campaign with Brown-Forman to remind attendees that it’s a long day of short races and to pace themselves accordingly.
“It is changing, and so we’ve also listened,” Ramage said. “We are known for bourbon in this state, but there’s a right way to do it, and it’s important for us that our customers have a responsible time while they’re here.”
New entries in the race
A younger audience is creating new brand demand far beyond Churchill Downs’ bars.
Yes, the $200 million renovation of the facility’s paddock included the construction of the Woodford Reserve Paddock Club and Sports Illustrated’s Club SI bar spaces. But the new paddock plaza’s ring of pop-up boutiques adds Aviator Nation to Derby mainstays, including Roots & Jones, Radley London and Fanatics.
Along with brands like Ford and Frito-Lay’s PopCorners—which also have a presence in the refurbished paddock—the boutiques vie for the attention of fans in the area’s 3,000 new premium seats and standing room with space for another 2,600. They are also catching the eye of international influencers invited to Churchill Downs from Japan, the U.K., Ireland, the Middle East and other horse-racing hotspots as the facility looks to globalize the event.
Much as Churchill Downs fills its infield with a big-screen television, 360-degree photo booths, a Q Mixers cocktail club and a Boot Barn cowboy hat branding stand to get race and podcast fans interacting with brands, it puts boutiques, clubs and a PopCorners speakeasy in front of an Instagram-ready backdrop of its twin spires to meet both young fans and eager brands where they’re at.
“We have the fortune of having an event and having a brand that is a cross-section of culture, entertainment, fashion and sports,” Ramage said. “So when we approach partnerships, we are able to work with each individual partner and find out [their] objectives, if their brand] values align with ours and—because we have such a diverse segment of fans—how can we then find the right spot for you.”
