The brand audit that turned a Moto2 video into a 700k viral hit.

Most content activations fail because teams jump straight to creative concepts without understanding what makes their partner authentically different...

Jake Dixon's Peaky Blinders paddock entrance pulled 700k Instagram views and transformed him from an invisible Moto2 rider to British racing's rising star. His lap times didn't change, the orchestration behind the scenes did.

Most partnership teams think strong creative fixes everything. Jake's transformation proves the opposite: creative is one instrument in a 6-piece orchestra. The breakthrough came from orchestrating authentic personality insights with strategic timing.

[Read the complete Jake Dixon case study and 6 ways every commercial team can steal from Jake's creative playbook in last week's newsletter.]

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The Problem: Why 90% of Partnership Activations Disappear

Your creative team nails the brief. Your athlete shows up on time. The content gets posted across all channels. Three days later, nobody remembers it happened.

This partnership orchestration failure costs brands millions. Not because the creative was bad or the timing was wrong, but because the activation had nothing authentic to grab onto.

Jake Dixon's breakthrough proves the opposite approach works. His Peaky Blinders activation cut through because it started with authentic personality insights, not creative concepts.

The difference between forgettable partnerships and breakthrough moments: knowing who you're actually working with, not who you think you're working with.

The Solution: Brand Audit Deep Dive

Most partnerships fail in discovery. Teams jump straight to creative concepts without understanding what makes their partner authentically different. They end up with activations that could feature anyone.

A proper brand audit uncovers how they think differently. Those contrarian insights become the foundation for content that only they could create.

Pre-Conversation Setup

Environment matters: Forget conference rooms and Zoom calls. The best conversations happen in their home, a quiet restaurant they've chosen, or during activities they enjoy. Anywhere that doesn't feel like a business meeting.

Time allocation: Minimum 90 minutes, ideally 2 hours. No agenda pressure. Schedule when they're relaxed, not rushed between commitments.

Recording strategy: Don't take notes during the conversation. Let Fathom or a notetaker take notes if it has to be online. If it’s in person, bring a trusted colleague to listen and remember. Write notes immediately after. Focus on memorable quotes and emotional moments.

The Four Core Questions

Question 1: "What do you notice that others miss?"

• Not specifically about their sport, but about their perspective on everything.

• Great answers reveal how their mind works.

• Follow up: "Can you give me a specific example from last week?"

  • "When did you first start noticing that?"

Question 2: "Tell me about a rule you've broken that worked out."

• Moments when they went against the grain reveal authentic differentiators.

• Follow up: "What made you decide to try something different?"

  • "What did people say when you started doing it?"

Question 3: "What's the hardest thing you've had to figure out that no one talks about?"

• Every field has unspoken challenges.

• Follow up: "How long did it take you to figure that out?"

  • "Do you see other people struggling with the same thing?"

Question 4: "When do you feel most like yourself?"

• Authenticity is revealed in specific moments and contexts

• Follow up: "What's different about how you act in those moments?"

  • "What brings out that side of your personality?"

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Advanced Follow-Up Techniques

The Specificity Spiral: Keep asking for specific examples until you hit emotional truth.

• "I like helping young athletes" (generic)

• "I spend time mentoring kids at my local track" (better)

• "Last month I spent three hours teaching a 12-year-old how to corner because his dad couldn't afford proper coaching" (gold)

The Contrast Method: Ask them to compare themselves to others in their field.

• "Most athletes do X. You do Y. What's the difference?"

• "When you watch other athletes, what do you do differently?"

The Origin Story Technique: Find the moment their authentic approach began.

• "When did you start doing things this way?"

• "What made you realise the conventional approach wasn't working?"

Red Flags and Recovery Strategies

Red Flag: Generic sports clichés ("I just want to give 110%")
Recovery: "Everyone says that. What do you actually do that's different?"

Red Flag: PR-approved responses that sound like press releases
Recovery: "Forget the cameras. What would you tell your best friend?"

Red Flag: Trying to be someone else
Recovery: "That sounds like [other person]. What makes your approach different?"

Red Flag: Surface-level answers
Recovery: "Tell me more about that." "What's an example of that from this week?"

Converting Insights to Content Strategy

Step 1: Classify insights into three categories