Ascot Racecourse is one of the most iconic names in British sport and culture. But the UK racing industry is facing a challenge of declining attendance and an ageing fanbase.

To address this, Ascot partnered with integrated brand agency saintnicks to reposition itself as a lifestyle brand wrapped around world-class horse racing – the pinnacle of which is Royal Ascot: an iconic British occasion. Five days of royalty, impeccable food, high fashion, and, of course, world-class racing.

The goal for saintnicks was to capture and showcase the full breadth of everything Royal Ascot has to offer, driving performance against three core objectives: building brand awareness, driving brand engagement, and increasing audience diversification.

The trap of chasing trends

Social media offers constant new formats and viral moments, but the risk for prestigious and premium brands is that chasing trends for their own sake can dilute identity.

Research from System1 reinforces this. Their analysis of TikTok advertising shows that while short-form entertainment drives attention, long-term success relies on consistent brand assets and recognisable codes. Distinctiveness and consistency, not just novelty, are what create lasting impact.

As an experienced social media agency, saintnicks understood the power of trends on short-term engagement, and ensured they featured in the brand’s social media strategy, but crucially, only if they could fit naturally into the brand’s platform.

Elegance at Play

Building from Ascot’s aspirations to be a lifestyle brand wrapped around world-class horse racing, saintnicks developed a new brand platform: “Elegance at Play”.

From this, a truly distinctive brand voice was created. ‘The Dandy’; a distinctive new tone of voice inspired by iconic figures known for their wit and style, such as Oscar Wilde, Richard Ayoade, and Eloise Bridgerton.

Having these two foundations in place ensured that while trends weren’t ignored on social (far from it), they were adopted when they aligned with Ascot’s brand and brought to life amongst a jam-packed programme of social content, tailored to each channel’s unique formats and audience profiles.

Examples include:

• Beginners’ Guides on TikTok: Trend-friendly in format but designed to welcome new audiences into racing.
• Fashion-first storytelling: Daily fashion highlights, tips, interviews, lookbooks, and vox pops reinforced Ascot’s stature as a cultural leader while tapping into how style spreads on social media.  
• Influencer collaborations: From Frankie Foster’s playful ‘Glass of Fizz Pop Quiz’ to Expired Film Club’s vintage photography of the Royal Procession, each activation felt culturally relevant yet on-brand. 

With world-class horse racing being the cornerstone of Royal Ascot; saintnicks also worked closely with the Ascot racing team, to deliver timely coverage throughout the day. From live tweeting, race result carousels, and YouTube race highlight videos, to post-race interviews, jockey-cam footage, and daily winner’s tables; everything was imbued with ‘Elegance at Play’.

The results

The approach delivered record-breaking success during the month of Royal Ascot:

• Building brand awareness with over 21 million impressions
• Driving brand engagements with 280,000 post engagements and nearly 3 million video views.
• Diversifying the audience with a net follower growth of nearly 30,000 cross-platform, both domestically and internationally, and predominantly under the age of 35.

Audiences described Ascot as “elegant, charming, delightfully British”, reflecting the strength of the brand throughout the social channels.

Ascot’s success highlights a crucial lesson: social media success is not about chasing every trend. Instead, it is about striking the right balance, leveraging cultural moments while staying true to brand identity.

As the research suggests, this approach not only drives immediate engagement but also supports long-term brand building. For Ascot, it has ensured the brand remains both timeless and modern.

Recognition at the UK Social Media Awards

Ascot and saintnicks have been shortlisted for both Best Long-Term Strategic Use of Social Media and Best Integrated Social Campaign at the UK Social Media Awards.

The recognition reflects how creativity, strategy, and brand stewardship can come together to deliver record-breaking results and ensure that a prestigious brand continues to resonate with new generations.