For some of the top equestrian action in the world, Central Park is the place to be this weekend.
Now through Sunday, the Trump Rink (formerly known as Wollman Rink) will host the inaugural Central Park Horse Show, presented by Rolex and produced by The Chronicle of the Horse magazine.
One of the highlights of the weekend’s horse-riding competitions will surely be NYC vs. The World, a pro-am speed challenge happening Friday evening. Land Rover is sponsoring the New York team, which includes Georgina Bloomberg, former Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s daughter, and Jessica Springsteen, daughter of Bruce.
We spoke with Kim McCullough, brand vice president for Land Rover North America, about what to expect from the event, how to organically market a brand and the importance of social media.
Q: What is happening Friday at the Trump Rink?
A: NYC vs. The World pro-am speed class will be an exciting event pitting teams of riders against each other. One team rider will go as fast as they can over a faults-converted speed course to set a time that the rider from the other team will try to beat. The fastest time between those two wins a point for their team. The team with the most points will win the inaugural NYC vs. the World speed title at the Central Park Horse Show, while the top eight individuals of the entire class will share $50,000 in prize money.
Q: Why did Land Rover want to sponsor an equestrian event?
A: As a brand, Land Rover has been involved with equestrian events for a long time. It’s a cool pillar event, and New York happens to be the number one location for Land Rovers in the world.
Q: Are there going to be any Defenders there?
A: Sadly, no. We will mainly have the Range Rover and LR Sport.
Q: What other equestrian events do you sponsor?
A: Our local retailer sponsored the Hampton Classic and we sponsor the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event.
Q: How has social media impacted Land Rover’s marketing strategy?
A: Social media is a great away for us to communicate this iconic British brand. On Land Rover alone, we have over 4 million people though Facebook, Tumblr and other social media outlets. I can’t think of a better way to create and communicate content. It’s exciting to see people’s instant reactions and feedback.
Q: Any marketing advice you can share?
A: It’s important when approaching partnerships for any brand to ensure that it’s an authentic extension to the brand. It needs to connect organically. Land Rover and the equestrian community have a long history and we are constantly looking for new ideas in that arena.
