Each June, the leafy Berkshire town of Ascot transforms into a multi-million pound marketing arena, where brands race just as hard as the thoroughbreds. Known as one of the crown jewels in the British Flat Racing calendar, Royal Ascot has transcended the limitations of the sport, delivering an absolute masterclass in premium event marketing, brand positioning and customer experience.
With recent years delivering record after record turnover, which currently stands at £110.9 million from the financial year 2023-24, and the 2025 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes now tipped to be the richest race in UK history, the commercial gains have never been higher.
For brands, the Royal Ascot is a week-long portal into high-value consumer engagement. And for punters? The meet is the most anticipated betting event of the season. That surge in activity makes the Royal Ascot horse races a prime space not just for keen bettors, but for brands who are eager to reap the benefits of real-time marketing and audience acquisition.
So, what lessons can entrepreneurs and SMEs learn from this kingly meet?
The ROI of Prestige Sponsorship
From Rolex and Longines to Moët & Chandon and Veuve Clicquot, Royal Ascot attracts some of the world’s most recognisable premium sponsors. We’re not talking passive logo placements here; sponsors receive significant visibility across racecourse signage, digital platforms, hospitality areas and extensive press coverage.
For brands, this visibility is about more than just scale - it’s about context. Being embedded in a luxury heritage event is a surefire way to enhance brand equity, especially when the audience includes royals, celebrities and corporate leaders.
Hospitality as a Marketing Tool
Royal Ascot is renowned for its elite hospitality setup – think: private boxes, fine dining, concierge service. For corporate partners, these offerings aren’t just perks. They’re tools for relationship-building, brand immersion and live engagement.
Packages like the Royal Enclosure Dining and Picnics at the Queen Anne Enclosure offer clients and guests the cream of the crop in terms of experience. More than just a day at the races, these extras deliver exclusivity and attention to detail that reflects back on the sponsoring brands.
When it comes to using event hospitality as a form of brand storytelling, Royal Ascot gets it right, every time.
The Digital Reach of the Races
Having first run in 1711, the prestigious racing festival may have royal patronage and a storied history that stretches back over 300 years, but don’t think for one second that Ascot is stuck in the past. Whether its TikTok fashion breakdowns or influencer content filmed from luxury suites, the event has fully embraced digital storytelling.
At present, the official Royal Ascot Instagram account has surpassed 170,000 followers, while digital content posted across social platforms generates millions of views in a matter of days.
But it’s not just influencers and Gen Z that ensure Royal Ascot thrives in the social space. There’s been an uptick in high-end brands running digital campaigns in parallel with their onsite presence during the five day festival. LK Bennett and Hackett London are two brands who’ve amplified their reach and further cemented racing’s status as relevant to the digital generation by running such campaigns.
Scaling the Strategy
What’s to be learned from this? Well, you don’t need a champagne budget to work with Royal Ascot’s blueprint. As a smaller business, you can easily tap into the cultural momentum of national events by aligning your campaigns with audience mood.
Whether it’s a themed product drop, a viewing party, or a limited-time offer tied to race day, timing and relevance are what matter - not your marketing budget.
Even now, it’s not too late to benefit from the buzz surrounding this year’s Royal Ascot, which runs from June 17th to 21st. As the festival continues on its commercial rise – strengthened by developments like the £1.5 million King George Stakes prize purse – now’s the time to start planning; not just for one event, but for the ecosystem of opportunity that it will generate in the months and years to come.