Are you willing to sponsor?
Are you ready to explore the transformative power of athlete sponsorship for your brand? Click here to learn more about how sponsorship can help brands grow and thrive in the exciting world of motorsports.
By Finnegan Driscoll| Posted March 6, 2023 | In Formula 1, Formula1
Monster Energy: A history in sports sponsorship
One of the world’s biggest brand’s, Monster Energy, make an interesting case study as they have used sports sponsorship to climb to the top of the energy drinks industry.
This iconic energy drink has become a brand synonymous with the sporting world. When tuning in to some of your favourite sports, you are never too far away from Monster Energy claw. The California-based brand pride themselves on being authentic, and they have found a way to connect with consumers through sports sponsorship.
Monster Energy is currently the sponsor of some of the world’s most popular sporting events and athletes, but the sports market hasn’t always been the brand’s main focus. Their ‘rock and roll’ image has seen them focus a lot of their marketing in the music industry. They sponsor various up and coming music artists in the USA- from rock bands all the way to rappers and singers. The success they’ve had in this field prompted them to launch the Monster Energy Outbreak Tour in 2011. This annual tour showcases some of the biggest new names in music, and it covers 5 genres- Hip Hop, EDM, Rock, Country, and College. Famous artists who have performed on these tours include Kendrick Lamar, Post Malone, and 21 Savage.
At the end of 2022, Monster Energy became partners with popular football team, Newcastle, adding to a list of other Premier League teams they sponsor. This list includes West Ham and Southampton, whilst they have previously been the sponsor of other teams like Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa. Their deal with Newcastle includes digital branding rights at their iconic stadium, St James’ Park. Having a presence in the world’s most popular sports league makes a lot of sense for Monster Energy, who ventured into the league as a part of an initiative to strengthen their UK-focused marketing activities. The brand’s broad sports sponsorship portfolio is very impressive, and it even extends to combat sports- in 2021 they signed a 3 year renewal for their sponsorship of the UFC.
Monster Energy’s list of partners proves they are a brand that is very much in touch with the sporting world, making it no surprise that they identified motorsport as an attractive market to enter. Having partnered with top teams and athletes, they have now established a very strong presence in both MotoGP and Formula 1. However, the energy drink brand’s ties to motorsport run even deeper than just the top 2 motorsports, as they sponsor a long list of other sports including Motocross, NASCAR, Drag Racing etc.
Monster Energy in the motorsport world
The Monster Energy MotoGP sponsorship
Having seen the success that rival energy drink brand, Red Bull had in sponsoring MotoGP riders, Monster Energy partnered with the legendary rider, Valentino Rossi, in 2009. Nicknamed ‘The Doctor,’ Rossi is arguably the greatest rider to ever grace MotoGP, winning 7 premier class World Championships in a career which spanned over 2 decades. Monster Energy struck gold sponsoring the Italian, as being aligned with such a popular figure has helped them to really grow their image in MotoGP. This partnership has seen them heavily involved in digital marketing and produce media content like ‘Valentino Rossi: The Doctor Series,’ boosting fan engagement with the brand and, in 2014, they even released a signature drink- ‘Monster Energy The Doctor’. Valentino Rossi spent a lot of his career racing for the Yamaha MotoGP team, who are officially known as the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team. Monster Energy became an official sponsor of the team in 2013 and then became the title sponsor in 2019. This partnership has made it so that you cannot tune into a MotoGP race without laying your eyes on the brand’s claw logo, as it is on the riders’ helmets, suits, and bike livery.
Just this year a renewal was signed to the deal, highlighting the establishment of a strong relationship between the two brands underscoring monster energy’s passion for motorsport. Commenting on the recent renewal, Rodney Sacks, Chairman and co-CEO of Monster Energy, said ‘Monster Energy and Yamaha have had a long history of racing together at the very pinnacle of motorcycle racing and during that time we have forged a successful partnership both on and off the racetrack.’
So far, Monster Energy and Yamaha’s partnership has delivered the MotoGP triple crown in 2015, the team title in 2016, and the MotoGP World Championship in 2021. That 2021 title was won by French rider, Fabio Quartararo, who is one of many current riders sponsored by Monster Energy. He is joined by fellow team Yamaha rider Franco Morbidelli, Alex Rins, and the 2017 World Champion Joan Mir, among others.
The partnership doesn’t end with MotoGP either, as the deal even includes Monster Energy being an official partner to Yamaha teams participating in the Motocross World Championship and Dakar Rally. This underlines the deep connection the brand has made with motorsport, a long journey that began with that first partnership 10 years ago.
It’s clear to see how Monster Energy have established themselves in MotoGP, and the success of their partnership with Team Yamaha and Valentino Rossi highlights a view we hold at RTR- it’s important to create partnerships from your sponsorship deals.
The Monster Energy Formula 1 sponsorship
The brand’s presence in motorsport extends to F1, as, just like they did in MotoGP, Monster Energy partnered with one of the biggest teams in the sport- the Mercedes AMG Petronas Team. The sponsorship started in 2010, and the fact their deal is still going strong now is testament to the connection that has been made between the two brands. It also opened the door to securing Lewis Hamilton as one of their athletes.
Lewis Hamilton is an F1 legend, having won 7 World Championships and having broken various records. Securing one of the most popular athletes has obvious benefits, and the deal he signed with Monster back in 2017 has seen them team up to bring out various ‘LH44’ signature drinks. The similarity of this marketing to Valentino Rossi’s makes it clear that the California-brand have made a conscious effort to align themselves with the best of the best. Not a bad strategy…
With the influence of motorsports now growing rapidly, as seen by F1 storming into the US market, it’s safe to say that Monster Energy’s decision to venture into our world over a decade ago has paid off.
Picture: Lewis Hamilton, Jake Archibald, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
Finnegan Driscoll
Similar category
The online platform where you can discover the latest trends, strategies and insights from the exciting world of sports marketing.
View our blog
April 3, 2025
2025 Formula 1 engine specs
In Formula 1, the engine is not merely a component; it is the heart of the car, dictating performance, efficiency, and the competitive edge. The evolution of F1 engine specs reflects a r[...]
Read More
March 20, 2025
Ground Effect F1: What Is It?
Ground effect has long been a game-changing aerodynamic principle in Formula 1, dramatically altering how cars generate downforce and perform on the track. In this blog, we’ll explore t[...]
Read More
March 19, 2025
F2 sponsorship and F3 sponsorship: a new frontier of opportunity
The world of motorsport is undergoing a profound transformation; the FIA F2 and F3 categories no longer represent simple transitional stages to Formula 1, but true laboratories of excellence,[...]
Read MoreWhy choose RTR Sports Marketing
In an era where it is possible to get anywhere with a click, there is a strong temptation to approach teams and properties directly for sponsorship projects.
By doing so, we are convinced that we are shortening the value chain, saving time and money. However, these DYI methods are anything but risk-free and what initially appears to be a competitive advantage soon turns into a problem that is difficult to resolve. That’s why there are agencies. And this is why you should rely on us for your sponsorships.
Save time and money
When first approaching a sponsorship or sports marketing project, it is difficult to know immediately which stakeholders are correct, what the decision flow is, and what the right timelines are for each process. Sports is a very specialized field of action, and fitting effectively into its paths can take a lot of time and therefore money. We, on the other hand, know referents and spheres of action and know who to talk to, when and how. So you are also more effective.
The right information, the right choice
Sports is an immense passion, and for our heart colors we would be willing to do anything. But business is a different business, and it is important to make the best possible strategic decisions based on independent research, statistics and reliable data. A sports marketing and sports sponsorship agency like RTR has an objective, 360-degree picture of the scenario and can tell you what is really best for you: which sport, which athlete, which team. This is because we possess a great deal of data and information on ratings, segmentation and attitudes. Because the numbers don’t lie. Never.
Activations are the beating heart
Activations are the real heart of sports sponsorship. Without them, there remains only a blank sticker on a motorcycle, car or uniform and no contact with the public, no emotional connection, no impact on the bottom line. Then how do you do it? It certainly won’t be the teams or the athletes who will help you leverage sponsorship and enjoy the many marketing rights you have paid for. To bring out the best in a sports marketing project you need an agency that knows how to use sponsorship to engage the fanbase on the Web, to reach out to Shopping Centers, to organize hospitality, to develop B2B and B2C opportunities, and to get “your” athletes in front of millions of potential consumers.
Objective measurements for a certain return
Would you ever go to the dealer who sold you the car and ask if the competitor’s car is better? No, of course. So, how do you expect to get firm measurements of the effectiveness of your sponsorship if you do not rely on someone super partes? At RTR, we have always worked with independent third-party agencies that allow us to know the return on any exposure of your brand on TV and in the media. In addition, we believe in calculating ROI as the ultimate measure of your success-so we can tell you for every penny you spend how much you are making.
Sit back, relax, we’ll take care of it
We have been involved in sports sponsorship and sports marketing for more than 15 years. We are consultants in the sense that our goal is to maximize your investment, but we are also an agency that manages the project from start to finish. We have been doing this since 1995 with passion and professionalism, following three principles that have become cornerstones of our business: independence, verticality and transparency.
I would like to highlight the fact that one of the qualities of RTR is its great ability to approach the sponsorship scenario strategically, together with its passionate attitude, its amazing enthusiasm for solving problems, and its high level of professionalism.
Gianluca Degliesposti
Executive Director Server&Storage EMEA
Eurosport is truly delighted with its business relationship with Riccardo Tafà, who has become extremely popular, thanks to his detailed knowledge of the sports marketing sector and his highly diligent attitude to work.
Francois Ribeiro
Commercial Director
Passion and Expertise are the features that I have found in RTR since the very beginning. Serious and reliable professionals but also very helpful, nice and open-mind people, willing to listen and compare different ideas. All the values in which RTR believes make this agency a partner, not just a supplier, a partner with whom we have had the opportunity to achieve significant commercial results in term of success and image.
Luca Pacitto
Head of Communication
We have been working with RTR Sports Marketing for over 10 years. The objectives and the programmes of collaboration continue to be renewed and to grow with mutual satisfaction. I believe RTR is a team of great professionals led by Riccardo Tafà, who I consider a manager of exceptional skills and with a great passion for his work.
Lucio Cecchinello
Team Principal
I have known and worked with Riccardo Tafà since 1995 when we collaborated for the first time on a project for the Williams Formula 1 team. Several clients followed. After leaving Williams to work for Gerhard Berger then owner of the Toro Rosso F1 Team, I turned again to Riccardo to seek his help in finding a tool supplier for the team and Riccardo duly obliged with an introduction to USAG, a partnership with Toro Rosso which endured for five years. I recently started a new role as Group Commercial Director for the renowned Andretti Autosport organisation and I find myself working with Riccardo once again on a number of interesting projects. Why has this relationship with Riccardo endured ? He’s smart, knows the commercial side of sport inside out and back to front and he’s honest and trustworthy. Riccardo Tafà is a “doer” not a “talker”: in over 20 years I have never had a dispute either with him or with a company that he has introduced and each partnership introduced by Riccardo has delivered quantifiable ROI to rights holder and sponsor alike. I can think of no better testimonial of Riccardo’s diligence, knowledge, contact base and hard work than that.
Jim Wright
Group Commercial Director
Recent posts
The online platform where you can discover the latest trends, strategies and insights from the exciting world of sports marketing.
View our blog
April 14, 2025
MotoGP and brand tech: why technology loves speed
A natural marriage: technology and MotoGP MotoGP is not just about speed, borderline overtaking and adrenaline. It is also one of the most advanced technological platforms in the world. Every[...]
Read More
April 8, 2025
Sponsorship vs endorsement: differences and examples
Sponsorship and endorsement are two marketing strategies designed to boost brand awareness and drive consumer engagement by leveraging different types of partnerships. While sponsorship build[...]
Read More
April 4, 2025
Prime Video Sponsors Kyle Larson’s “Double” Ambition
Amazon Prime Video is making a bold statement in the world of motorsport sponsorship by stepping in as the presenting sponsor for Kyle Larson’s unprecedented attempt to conquer two of a[...]
Read More