Scott Garrett worked in brand development and marketing for two of the biggest brands in the world – Heinz and Nike – before joining the AT&T Williams team as Head of Marketing. He has previously worked for the Publicis Group, J Walter Thompson, and Saatchi & Saatchi.
WHAT I BELIEVE.
The team that makes the most mistakes generally wins, because if you don't make mistakes, you're not trying anything new.
I encourage people to live by that maxim, and I lead by example. Nobody has made more mistakes than me. There should never be a risk associated with trying something new, as long as what you are trying doesn't compromise the integrity of the company. Anyway, if a sponsor signs up for a programme for four or five years, giving them the same thing every year doesn't make good business sense.
There should always be room for charisma and creativity in leadership. Those who try to lead simply by virtue of their position never get a response from people. Leading by example, and being honest and open, are more important. In today's less-hierarchical organisations, of which Williams is one, the ability to build consensus is vital. You can't just tell people to do something; you need to get them to feel collective ownership of a project.
A brand is defined as much by the people who hate as those who love it. Brands that are hated tend to be strong brands.
WHAT I'VE LEARNT.
A strong brand is extremely powerful. This is something I have had to convince people of many times over the years. Use the word 'marketing' to someone with traditional business views and their eyes glaze over - but I can demonstrate that a strong brand directly affects share price in a public limited company. A strong brand isn't just about recognition, either. It's also about meaning.
Talk numbers and people will understand. There's always a lot of emotive language surrounding a brand, but everyone is a consumer, and everyone buys things.
It's something we can all relate to.
Everybody working in the sport needs a little understanding of marketing and the way sponsorship adds value. When you rely on sponsorship money for your income, the temptation is to see sponsorship as your entire marketing plan. It's not. It's a small part of it.
It has been a bonus for me not to know anything about motorsport. I can bring external experience to an industry that is fairly insular. Everyone knows everyone else in F1, and at the moment I'm like a rabbit in the headlights when I'm in the paddock. It's all so new to me.
Formula One is a simple business. The only corporate mission is to win world championships. There are no line extensions or product extensions, so everything we do follows the answer to the question: "Will this make the car go faster?" It is as simple as that.
