09/05/2007
NEWS STORY
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Despite a fan website which claims that she "provides hope for young people all over the US and the world", and that she "provides beauty and excitement to (most of) our otherwise mundane lives" it looks as though heiress Paris Hilton is heading to jail next month.
In the meantime, she is scheduled to appear at the forthcoming Monaco Grand Prix as a guest of Spyker sponsor Rich Prosecco, a fizzy white wine drink which Hilton describes as "yummy".
Ignoring the fact that when race commentators state that XYZ has pulled off at the Swimming Pool or Mirabeau it will be given a whole new meaning, the irony of Hilton talking up the pleasures of an alcoholic drink at a Grand Prix then heading off to jail without passing go, is somewhat ironic.
Thus far, Hilton is the only high profile celebrity being mentioned with regards the Monaco event, widely regarded as the jewel in Formula One's crown.
Some have admitted that they find it odd that Hilton is a guest of Spyker, when the hotel chain that her family owns is a sponsor (partner) of the McLaren team, then again, what with media darling Lewis Hamilton getting the British media all hot and sticky, Ron might have wisely decided that enough is enough.
The Monaco race has always attracted celebrities, and the Cannes Film Festival down the road ensures that there is usually a plentiful supply of movie actors in the vicinity.
Bernie Ecclestone makes no secret of the fact that he wants celebrities at his races - and not just Monaco - and actively encourages the teams to bring out the stars.
Fact is, Paris Hilton cruising the Monaco grid will result in more column inches (don't go there) than if Hamilton, Massa, Raikkonen and Alonso were to be eliminated at the first corner with the race ultimately being won by Takuma Sato in a Super Aguri with three wheels. not forgetting the chickens.
Naturally, Bernie won't dip into his own pockets, even though it is the sport as a whole that benefits when the stars fall from the sky and parade the garages. Instead he relies on the individual teams to provide the glamour.
Quite rightly, some teams argue that they are above such things, while others are unhappy that they are footing the bill to invite a celebrity that benefits the entire sport. Nonetheless, Bernie sits back knowing that some of the teams - especially those with a fondness for the limelight (no names) - will capitulate, and that come race day various actors and musicians will outshine the likes of Alonso and Raikkonen.
In recent years we have seen Schwarzenegger, Ozzy Osborne, George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Sir Bono walking the grid, feigning interest (barely) as they are shown the inner workings of the cars. "I'm a great fan, I always watch the F1," they tell us, then, despite the billions in the bank, the private jet and Monaco apartment, they confess that this is the first race they've attended.
In recent years some great deals have been done whereby movies have used the Monaco Grand Prix to great effect, think Oceans 12 , Star Wars and Superman. Then there was that magnificent PR stunt involving the Steinmetz diamond embedded in the nose of Christian Klien's Jaguar, which 'apparently' went AWOL when the hapless Austrian stuffed the car into the barriers. No matter what the diamond cost, the resultant publicity was priceless, ask anyone in the business.
When David Coulthard took a well deserved third place at Monaco last year, it couldn't have come at a better time, what with his Red Bull team enjoying a one-off race deal with the promoters of the Superman movie.
The fact that the Scottish veteran hauled his car up to a points scoring position was enough to guarantee the 'Superman' epithet in the media, however, the pictures of him wearing the legendary red cloak on the podium, standing in front of the assembled Grimaldis, assured the filmmakers and his team unprecedented media coverage. Just to ensure the sponsor's message was not lost, team boss Christian Horner subsequently took an impromptu - yet well stage managed - dip in a pool, wearing nought but said Superman cloak.
In the first issue of The Paddock, Christian Sylt suggests that as CVC looks to capitalize on its considerable investment in Formula One, it might, among other things, consider selling the filming rights to the sport.
In the 1990s, Sylvester Stallone attempted to bring Formula One back to the silver screen, but eventually gave up, frustrated by Bernie Ecclestone's demands and rules, subsequently turning his attention to ChampCar. While some might be dismissive of the impact of Talladega Nights, the fact is that it was a popular film, and though it poked fun at NASCAR it will have almost certainly brought new fans on board. CVC will be aware of this, and also of the fact that since on-track racing is not having an impact on America - the nation that F1 really needs to crack - a movie might finally open the door.
We recently spoke to Nav Sidhu, the man behind some of the best PR campaigns in recent years, especially those at Monaco, and asked if he has anything lined up for this year's event. Despite the fact that he is "involved in other projects", he admits that neither he nor the teams want to repeat themselves and are therefore looking at fresh ideas. Oceans 12 has been done, so therefore would there really be a benefit from promoting Oceans 13, even if it does star a true movie legend, Al Pacino. More importantly, however, we understand that Nav's Ocean's 12 deal with done direct with the talent, namely, Jerry Weintrub (Producer), Clooney (co-producer) and Brad Pitt / Matt Damon. In other words, there were no contracts or mega-bucks fees paid to the film company or agents. Only handshakes between Nav and the talent! Subsequently, the financial outlay to Jaguar was minimal and return on investment was mindblowingly successful. A lesson to all those teams (Red Bull) who continue to pay for coverage as opposed to brokering contra-deals.
There are a number of blockbusters coming out this summer, most notably Spiderman 3, Shrek 3 and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, and any one of these might see a possible marketing tie-in with F1.
There's another big movie coming out this summer, and one which the Pitpass team eagerly awaits. Finally, after years of waiting, The Simpsons is to hit the big screen, with The Simpsons Movie scheduled to launch in late July.
We weren't sure exactly how The Simpsons might tie-in with F1 and then finally it came to us...
Having appealed against the £75,000 damages awarded to Tony Purnell in May 2006, BusinessF1 editor Tom Rubython stands in court almost a year later, awaiting the decision of the appeal judges.
After hearing the court uphold the previous decision, Rubython is further dismayed when Lord Justice Laws declares that the basis for the appeal "lacked integrity and legal merit".
Moments later, the Court of Appeal, indeed an entire part of London, is brought to a standstill as a loud cry is emitted, echoing out into the stratosphere.... "D'oh!"