With the growing momentum to bring a Grand Prix back to South African soil, a critical question emerged: how could a brand deeply rooted in local culture represent the nation’s engineering and competitive spirit on the global stage? Carling Black Label, long celebrated as "Mzansi's Favourite Beer" and the "Champion’s Beer," provided the ideal foundation to explore this evolution.

The challenge was to transition a heritage consumer brand into a high-performance cultural force, capable of holding its own alongside the world’s elite automotive marques while remaining unapologetically South African.

Strategic Framework

A primary obstacle to the brand’s participation in Formula 1 was the sport's stringent alcohol restrictions. This constraint became the catalyst for a strategic pivot: the introduction of Carling Black Label 0.0%. Research into global beer brands revealed that non-alcoholic variants could successfully reach new audiences without diluting brand equity. The 0.0% identity was developed to maintain the parent brand's core principles of power and confidence, adapted for a technical, high-stakes environment.

The Champion Car

The project envisioned the "Champion Car" not merely as a vehicle, but as a platform for a broader South African ecosystem. The visual strategy moved beyond simple sponsorship to create a unified movement. This was achieved through a strategic partnership narrative—"No champion rides alone"—integrating local giants like MTN, DStv, and SuperSport into a shared momentum of global excellence.

Visual Identity & Design

The design of the Champion Livery and the wider visual system represents a cultural shift for the brand. The identity balances the brand's heritage with a new arena of clarity and purpose.

• Livery Design: A high-impact, refined aesthetic that pairs the iconic script with technical, engineered graphics.

• The Lockup: A specialized Formula 1 Team lockup was engineered for flexibility across digital, print, and physical applications.

• Motion & Digital: The digital experience was designed for clarity, with a countdown to the Kyalami Grand Prix '26, positioning the brand as an authoritative player in a future-focused sector.

By combining strategic insight with industrial-standard design, the project repositions Carling Black Label as a pioneering leader, bridging South African resilience with world-class standard.