2024's Best Digital Partnership Goes To...

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Before we dive into my top pick, here are my runners-up for Digital Partnership of the Year.

MLB x Topps: The MLB Debut Patch program tapped into fans’ obsession with rookies and collectibles. With a few additional assets, this duo kept the excitement alive year-round.

The anticipation and chase for these rookie cards naturally drove earned content (and even bounties!) from fans, collectors, teams, and players alike. Check out my complete breakdown here.

McLaren x LEGO: LEGO maximized its partnership with McLaren in a big way.

It all started with the launch of the LEGO® Icons McLaren MP4/4 & Ayrton Senna Set, featuring former McLaren Chief Mechanic Neil Trundle sharing memories of his time with Senna and the iconic car.

The launch was promoted with a stop-motion video that racked up over 4M views. But LEGO didn’t stop there—they raised the bar with The Lando and Oscar Show, a three-part animated series.

Their latest stunt? Lando Norris driving a life-size LEGO Technic McLaren P1™ around Silverstone.

Scottish Rugby x Skyscanner: Scottish Rugby was the first rights holder I noticed cashing in on the roof camera trend with The Ultimate View, partnering with a travel-relevant brand to make it happen.

That idea evolved into The Ultimate Replay, a highlights series with eye-catching edits, and later culminated in The Ultimate Reunion. This heartfelt activation brought team captain Sione Tuipulotu together with his grandmother Jacqueline, who was flown from Australia to see him play in a Scotland jersey for the first time.

It was an emotionally driven moment that fit a travel brand perfectly, capturing Jacqueline’s joy as she watched her grandson take the field.

New York Mets x McDonald’s: The Grimace Effect started on June 12, when the McDonald’s mascot threw out the ceremonial first pitch to celebrate his 53rd birthday. What followed? A seven-game winning streak and an unexpected playoff run by the New York Mets.

The Mets and McDonald’s leaned into the buzz, and fans couldn’t get enough.

Grimace was featured in the team’s  2025 schedule release (one of my favorites in MLB), a commemorative purple seat was installed in his honor, and he appeared in a video board feature as the playoff race heated up.

The highlight? Wrapping the 7-train with Grimace’s face during the playoffs. The clip of Grimace boarding that train was all over social media.

In Today’s Edition:

• ‘24’s Top Digital Partnership 🏎️

• FCB’s Spotify-Sponsored Wrapped 🎵 

• Prime Real Estate In Miami 🔥 

🏊️ DEEP DIVE
The Partnership That Drove Social Media Wild

Drumroll, please.

2024's best digital partnership in sports goes to... Mercedes and WhatsApp! Even with all the great candidates outlined above, this race wasn’t close.

Every activation tied back to the same core: seamlessly weaving product features into key Mercedes moments to enhance fan engagement.

They maximized everything both teams had to offer, producing content across Mercedes and WhatsApp channels throughout the year.

February: Teasing the W15 Livery

Mercedes teased their W15 livery reveal by posting a picture of the new car, except the car was covered by a tarp that said, “Built Privately” above a WhatsApp logo.

It’s one of those things you see where the simplicity makes it incredibly smart.

WhatsApp is all about simple and reliable private messaging. What better way to make a connection to the brand than to connect it to a moment authentic to Formula 1 where teams build and design their cars privately?!

It was the point in the offseason when fan excitement is at its highest, so you know the performance on social channels had good odds of being strong (and they were).

Those posts were great on their own, but the cherry on top was the initial call to action.

Fans could get a first look at the W15, exclusively via the Mercedes F1 WhatsApp Channel (launched October 2023).

When the car was revealed, we learned a WhatsApp radio button was added to the drivers' steering wheels, a clever connection to the messaging app.

May: Taking Over New York City

Mercedes F1 took to the streets of New York City to generate awareness of WhatsApp’s new race car emoji it launched to celebrate double-digit growth in the US.

While die-hard Mercedes fans were likely intrigued simply by hearing the news, the team used an earned-first strategy to capture widespread attention via media placements and significant coverage on social media on Mercedes-owned channels.

Mercedes and WhatsApp took over Fifth Avenue centered around a collaboration with the Empire State Building, which included turning the building’s tower lights a bright WhatsApp green and projecting a dynamic light show with the new emoji racing on its façade.

The following morning, racing legend Lewis Hamilton hopped into the driver's seat of the W12, accompanied by a life-sized replica of the emoji race car. Together, they staged the first-ever live demonstration of an F1 car in the heart of Manhattan.

The new emoji rolled out to all two billion WhatsApp users and is available to use immediately in your chats.

Note: the race car emoji still appears red on WhatsApp, but once you hit send, it magically transforms into Mercedes green.

WhatsApp didn't stop there—they've also rolled out some Mercedes stickers for added flair.

August and October: Keeping The Momentum

The partnership continued in August with playful content like Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff playing "I’d Reply With”, WhatsApp’s recurring series run on their channels.

Later that month, the WhatsApp Emoji car from NYC event returned for a Zandvoort track preview, teaching fans simply what the banked corners at the Dutch GP do to an F1 car.

When Kimi Antonelli was announced as a new driver (replacing Lewis Hamilton) in October, they celebrated by—what else?—adding him to the group chat.

The WhatsApp Emoji car rolled through the Austin and Mexico GPs. This time it was less focused on track previews and leaned more into the excitement of new race weeks.

Mercedes and WhatsApp closed out October by releasing a short film, Push, Push, celebrating Lewis Hamilton’s legendary career. Hamilton sat down with teens to share the lessons he’s learned on his path to becoming a 7-time world champion, highlighting the importance of communication and connection in achieving success.

And that’s where I thought this partnership would close the book on 2024, but WhatsApp took things down to the very last race.

December: A Farewell to Remember

At Friday’s practice of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Mercedes created intrigue with a nearly illegible WhatsApp-branded message on Lewis Hamilton's glove.

Fans speculated wildly in the comments and on Reddit, with many guessing "Thank You, Lewis."

The message was finally revealed on Sunday before the race got started. The Instagram video was the top-performing asset of the campaign, generating 2.7M views and 139.8K engagements.

And to put a bow on an outstanding first full year together, they closed 2024 exactly as they started—dropping exclusive content on the team's WhatsApp Channel, this time a special voice message from Toto to Lewis.

The Takeaway

In 2024, Mercedes and WhatsApp didn't just create a marketing partnership—they crafted a storytelling experience that felt authentic, creative, and genuinely engaging. They proved that when brands truly understand each other's essence, magic happens.

🔍 SPONCONSPIRATION
Steal These Ideas

Qatar Airways’ creator-driven content strategy has been on my radar lately. Scaling their partnership with @Tuvok12 to span properties like the Brooklyn Nets and F1? Smart move.

This Oregon Football edit for their Alaska Airlines travel content was sick! Low-key, this video team is performing at a Boston Celtics level right now. Definitely a crew to watch.

Spotify-sponsored FC Barcelona had to go big for Wrapped Day—and they delivered with 19.5M Instagram views!

A month ago, I called the San Francisco 49ers' Spill The Beans sponcon series name a perfect fit for a coffee brand. Now? I’m thinking it works for brands like Lovesac or La-Z-Boy too—just look at this Calgary Roughnecks piece.

Back to the java, Juventus revealed their FIFA Club World Cup group by pouring steamed milk into Lavazza coffee.

The Miami Heat showed why Celebrity Row is the perfect sponsorship asset for Real Estate companies.

🚨 ICYMI
What To Watch For

Fan Rewards Evolved: Shripal Shah breaks down why sports loyalty programs lag behind industries like airlines—and how AI and blockchain can help unlock their full potential [via John WallStreet].

Draft Dreams Documented: Sydney Swans released a new 28-part TikTok docuseries, called “Young Bloods” which follows the next generation of stars as they prepare to compete for selection in the AFL and AFLW drafts. Rights holders who have or want to launch player development social accounts, save this idea [h/t Notice].

AI-Designed Third Kit: Man City fans have a chance to design the 26/27 Third Kit. They can bring their vision to life using PUMA AI Creator for a chance to win VIP experiences, signed merch, and the honor of seeing the team wear their design on the pitch.

A/B Testing For Reels: Instagram is letting creators test Reels with non-followers.

Win On YouTube: If you want to get ahead on YouTube in 2025, I would highly recommend taking this advice from Paddy Galloway.

Stat of the Week: According to Year On TikTok 2024, 80% of TikTok users in the US say that they follow or are interested in the WNBA, and are 30% more likely to say that "women's sports is exciting to watch".

PGA’s Creator Play: The PGA Tour has launched a Creator Council, bringing together 10 top content creators to collaborate with its media, marketing, and communications teams on content strategies and fan engagement.