Expanding motorsport youth audiences

FROM THE CLIENT 

THE RESEARCH BRIEF

Following a global surge in motorsport popularity centred around the US and UK markets, metrics show a downturn in youth engagement with evolving platform preferences and media consumption. How do you attract a new, younger generation to motorsport to secure a committed future global fanbase? Are there ways to investigate new routes to connect by exploring different facets of the industry including design, engineering & technology and media? 

THE METHODOLOGY

LIVE EXPERIENCE AND ONLINE FOCUS GROUP – 36 participants  
Live race viewing and WhatsApp chat (2 hours) 
Online focus group (45 mins) 

Participants were – 
Aged 18-24
From US and UK
12 x casually engaged with motorsport per market
6 x regularly engaged with motorsport per marke  

IN-PERSON YOUTH EVENT – 24 participants  
UK HQ behind the scenes tour and focus group (2 hours)
Motorsport experience tour and creative workshop (2 hours 30 mins)
All participants to be accompanied by an appropriate adult

Participants were –  
Low and regular engagement with motorsport  
12 x aged 14 to 16  
12 x aged 16 to 18 

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Knowing we can rely on BEAM for fantastic participants and to share their expertise on ways to improve research approaches is highly reassuring. 

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DELIVERED BY BEAM

THE CHALLENGES

Design – BEAM designed the pre- and post-event experience by working collaboratively with the end client and agency to merge policies, procedures and best practices delivering a ‘one-voice’ approach to recruitment, participation and post-event experience for participants 

Policy – BEAM’s recently refreshed ‘Recruiting Young People and Children’ framework was utilised. It defines the moral, ethical and legal standards that BEAM holds itself, clients and stakeholders to, ensuring enforceable guardrails protecting all stakeholders through research projects. 

Recruiting – The perfect under-18 participants relied on attracting the right responsible adult. Sucess relied upon creating confidence in BEAM’s professionalism, comfort in the legitimacy of the research and trust that their child would be kept physically and digitally safe through the project. Reassurances around adaptations of the research to their child’s participation were anticipated in advance and provisioned to stem potential project withdrawal.  

Solid start – Positive interactions were the starting point for securing engaged participants by –  
Screening by phone or video call  
Working outside the screener questions to develop natural conversation 
Using age-appropriate language
Reimagining informed consent and GDPR requirements to be easily understood by a younger audience
Enough detail in the event agenda to soothe anxiety and create participant excitement

Child engagement – Speaking to the child was an essential part of the screening process, to ensure that answers were their own, and to establish excitement for the project. The ability to speak openly is a key component in successful research, particularly for focus groups and creative workshops. 

Confidence – BEAM recommended the responsible adult accompany their child during the tour activities giving adults the opportunity to participate in the research experience alongside their child, easing feelings of apprehension for both participants and parents.  

Chaperone – BEAM provided a chaperone to accompany 2 participants who would otherwise have been unable to take part. The chaperone met with the parents and participants for a pre-event online completed to ensure standards were met.  

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THE CONCLUSION

Securing engaged and excited young participants can be challenging, particularly with the added layer of securing the involvement of appropriate adults. Recruitment can be bureaucratic, but BEAM has focused on developing processes that ensure informed consent from young people and also develops positive relationships of trust that continue through the research project.  
BEAM’s experience and expertise working with young participants allowed for recommendations that would ensure that participants were as comfortable and engaged as possible, reducing the risk of dropouts and resulting in more active participation in the research sessions. The result was research that not only provided the end client with the insights they needed but also delivered an exceptionally positive research experience that was thoroughly enjoyed by the participants and their accompanying adults.  

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