Henley Regatta’s Digital Revolution

There are few events on Britain’s sporting summer schedule that carry as much tradition as Henley Royal Regatta. First held in 1839, the regatta transforms the quaint town of Henley-on-Thames into a bustling hive of activity for a few weeks each year.

Strict dress codes and prohibited use of mobile phone calls prevail in the Stewards’ Enclosure where the event’s heritage is well preserved but this year has seen a transformation to the way Henley Royal Regatta has communicated the thrill of its racing spectacle to audiences around the world.

The event Stewards and new regatta Chairman, Sir Steve Redgrave, have kept the prestige and tradition of Henley, but by putting digital at the very heart of its communications strategy, the event has been opened up to its widest audience yet.

For the first time since 1968, Henley Regatta was broadcast live. Sounds pretty standard fare for any sporting event, but with its own dedicated YouTube channel, HD footage, live action on BBC red button and a drone (yes – a drone!), this was Regatta 2015-style. Rowing fans around the world could have a riverside seat of Henley from the comfort of their own homes.

Sunset + Vine were commissioned to provide the live pictures while an expert social media team was on hand to develop and manage an integrated social strategy nurturing the rowing community on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Anticipation was built for the event through the #ReadyForHenley campaign. Participating rowers were invited to submit clips of their own training preparations with messages of encouragement from rowing royalty Sir Steve Redgrave and Sir Matthew Pinsent, while the town’s regatta preparations were all captured through a series of short videos. These videos also included exclusive ‘Henley masterclass’ tips from Olympic rowers like Vicky Thornley.

Once everyone was #ReadyForHenley, the digital strategy shifted to the racing action. Numbers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts soared just like the temperatures. 30-degree-plus heat paved the way for the rare decision to allow gentlemen to remove their jackets in Stewards. Mobile phone use was still prohibited but a cheeky status update or image upload to Instagram was still permitted. Such was the popularity of the event on social channels that a Henley Royal Regatta story was established on Snapchat, offering another new social perspective on the occasion.

While the racing was as thrilling as it’s ever been, in terms of its global reach this was a Henley Royal Regatta like no other. Initial social targets were blown out of the water and the success of #Henley2015 proves that even the most traditional sporting events can find a new lease of life with an integrated digital communications strategy.

SQN worked as part of the Henley Royal Regatta social media team, which was led by Caroline Searle of Matchtight Ltd.

About author

Chris Hughes
Chris Hughes 15 posts

Chris Hughes is Director of Communications at Sine Qua Non (SQN), a marketing and communications agency with a passion for sport and technology. @chrishughespr @techandsport

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