Another Carnival done and dusted!
As we wrap up our third year working on the Caulfield Cup Carnival, we couldn’t be prouder of the results and the campaign we brought to life alongside the Melbourne Racing Club.
Adopting the ‘Hearts Will Race’ creative for another year, this season’s focus was on re-establishing fashion as a key pillar of the Carnival, driving broader awareness among younger female audiences, and delivering more authentic storytelling to engage genuine racing fans.
To support this, KateCo. PR curated a strong ambassador lineup featuring AFL footballer Nick Daicos, tennis star Thanasi Kokkinakis, and media personalities Olympia Valance, Demi Brereton, Stella Klim and more. Together, they appealed to both sporting enthusiasts and fashion-forward eventgoers – driving engaging social content and achieving strong cut-through during a busy news cycle and competing events.
To elevate the newly launched ‘Fashion On Track’ precinct and its messaging, we collaborated with stylists Lana Wilkinson and Meggy Smith to bring bold, colourful looks to life while lending their expertise and credibility in the fashion space. The precinct featured a photo finish studio and a touch-up station led by celebrity hair and makeup artists Joey Scandizzo and Chantelle Baker, offering racegoers the chance to celebrate and express their individual style as part of the Carnival’s “back your style” theme.
This renewed focus on fashion delivered exceptional results, achieving a +129% YoY increase in reach and a +21.4% lift in PR value across fashion coverage, while overall Carnival stories were featured far and wide across News Corp and Nine Entertainment Co. mastheads, as well as broadcast and digital outlets, resulting in over 800 clips and a +43% YoY increase from 2024 Carnival.
Other highlights included the debut of The Beverly as this year’s premium marquee experience – bringing its signature California-cool aesthetic and a curated menu to The Avenue.
As always, this campaign wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our media friends, who helped us share unique and engaging stories, and the Melbourne Racing Club team – Ashley Curnow, Rebekah Patterson and Bri Arnott.
