SAIL GRAND PRIX PERTH
When SailGP announced Perth as the newest destination on its global championship calendar, SPEAK Communications was tasked with introducing the league to a new market and building excitement for the inaugural Oracle Perth Sail Grand Prix presented by KPMG.
Working alongside the SailGP team, SPEAK developed and executed an integrated PR, media relations and influencer engagement programme designed to establish SailGP as Western Australia’s must-attend summer sporting event. The campaign focused on building awareness, educating new audiences about the championship and positioning SailGP as a premium sporting and entertainment experience capable of attracting fans well beyond the sailing community.
A key component of the campaign was introducing SailGP to Western Australians in a way that felt locally relevant and culturally connected. To achieve this, SPEAK delivered a series of strategic media and influencer activations designed to build momentum well before race weekend.
The campaign began with the official Perth ticket launch media call at Bathers Beach, where SailGP and BONDS Flying Roos representatives unveiled the event and introduced local media to the speed, spectacle and fan experience set to arrive in January. This was followed by a branded media event at the conclusion of the 2025 SailGP season, where Tom Slingsby officially handed over the keys to the Minister to celebrate Perth as the next destination on the global championship calendar.
To further build awareness in the market, SPEAK secured Seven West Media, Perth’s largest-reaching media network, to attend and cover the Abu Dhabi SailGP Grand Final, providing Perth audiences with a first-hand look at the championship before it arrived on local shores.
Alongside the earned media programme, SPEAK delivered a targeted creator and influencer campaign featuring local athletes, sporting personalities and lifestyle creators. This included an immersive evening experience at Bathers Beach, where creators experienced the speed and adrenaline of SailGP through a Lamborghini speedboat activation, designed to mirror the pace and intensity of the F50s, followed by drinks and a conversation with the BONDS Flying Roos. Through event attendance, content creation and race-day experiences, the programme helped introduce SailGP to new audiences across sport, lifestyle, travel and entertainment, generating ongoing awareness and excitement throughout the campaign.
As race week approached, SPEAK managed an extensive media and creator programme, overseeing media accreditation, interview opportunities, talent hosting and on-ground press office operations. The team facilitated national and local media opportunities with BONDS Flying Roos athletes and international SailGP talent, coordinated creator attendance across race days, SailGP season launch event and hosted media, influencers and VIP stakeholders throughout the event. SPEAK also supported a number of cultural and community-led activations throughout race week, including the Grinder Challenge, which united local athletes and codes in a content-led activation that further amplified SailGP across sport, lifestyle and entertainment audiences.
Combined with real-time storytelling, broadcast support and content distribution, the programme ensured SailGP dominated conversation across sport, news, lifestyle and entertainment media throughout the week. The result was widespread awareness, strong attendance and a successful market entry that firmly established Perth as a key destination on the SailGP calendar.
The campaign introduced a global sporting property to a new audience, helping transform SailGP from a relatively unknown league into one of Western Australia’s most anticipated and sold-out summer events.
