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BlackBerry steps onto the world sporting stage with a Mercedes Formula 1 partnership deal!

By Kevin Michaluk on 4 Feb 2013 07:02 am
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** View the BlackBerry Mercedes F1 Photo Gallery Here ** 

Less than 24 hours after BlackBerry told the US market we're back in the game via a BlackBerry Super Bowl commercial, BlackBerry is sending the same message out on the world stage via the popular sport of Formula 1.

BlackBerry will become the Mercedes team's new official mobile computing partner and 'collaborate on technical and marketing opportunities'. The BlackBerry logo will be present on the new F1W04 Silver Arrow and the team will be using BlackBerry devices throughout the season. You can check out driver Lewis Hamliton rocking the BlackBerry Z10 in the video above (Lewis, next time don't cover the BlackBerry logo with your finger!).

Ross Brawn, team principal of the Mercedes AMG team, welcomed BlackBerry to the team:

"On the day that our new Silver Arrow, the F1 W04, is launched, we are very pleased to announce our partnership with BlackBerry. We are looking forward to embracing the new BlackBerry 10 platform at both a technical and operational level, as well as collaborating with the team at BlackBerry to bring new mobile innovation to Mercedes AMG Petronas. It is especially pleasing to be able to launch this exciting partnership today as our latest Silver Arrow takes to the track with BlackBerry branding."

Frank Boulben, BlackBerry's Chief Marketing Officer said:

"Formula One is all about precision engineering, design and innovation - three values that mirror the approach that's gone into creating BlackBerry 10. It is a natural fit for BlackBerry to partner with the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team to deliver value through technical and marketing collaboration. We have built BlackBerry 10 to keep people moving, and we believe the essence of this will be delivered at many levels through our partnership." 

BlackBerry Mercedes

As a longtime Formula 1 fan, I'm loving this deal. Heck, I predicted this one in 2007 - check out this blog post I wrote from the CrackBerry archives saying that RIM should sponsor a Formula 1 team. I just picked the wrong team back then, thinking it would be Ferrari. But with BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins being German, this one just makes sense.

First the Super Bowl. Now a Formula 1 deal. BlackBerry is leaving nothing on the table with the launch of BlackBerry 10!

Topics: Formula 1 Mercedes News & Rumors Editorial

From the Editor's Desk: BlackBerry 10 launch, reactions to the Super Bowl ad and the second coming of CrackBerry Previous
Behind the scenes of the BlackBerry Super Bowl commercialNext
Kevin Michaluk Kevin Michaluk 3681 (articles) 3021 (forum posts)
47 comments

myckle

It's good to see BlackBerry back in action and in the spotlight. I can sense their Marketing team's efffort and initiative to really evangelize the mobile world. And im with them! Go BlackBerry!

Dave79

Wish they'd pick a winning team like Ferrari!

Jaybles

The team that have won nothing since 2008?

noelito4three

yeah because 2008 was like gazillion years ago right?

Dave79

Merchedes the team that won nothing period?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Formula_One_records#Constructor_rec...

Dave79

http://bit.ly/VLwUC1

Dave79

Not to mention that Ferrari is pretty much every year fighting to win the championship and last year lost the title for only 2 points.

Thebouy Way

Surprised Lewis was willing to go back, when he was at McClaren and they're sponsored by Vodafone he ended up having to be the poster boy for the original Storm and tell everyone how great it is!

MRJUCY

Great move there is no other sport that combines such massive world wide coverage & support with bleeding edge technology.

latarnik

I had a feeling that something is up when during launch they have shown a part of Mercedes commercial as a demo of video :) Good move!

Jince

Good catch. I was wondering the same thing during the launch demo. Looks like Blackberry had something up their selves and now here it is.

nack

Wow, didn't expect that to happen! They are really upping their game on the marketing side. Great to see.

neteng1000

Frank is da man! He knows what he's doing!

Superfly_FR

Can you ear the Silver Arrow ?

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee !
:)

digitalman101

BIG bucks here!

intelligent choice, I might say!

T-Pad

Great, but I hope that BlackBerry will have more success than Mercedes in last year's F1 season.

Dave79

Yeah it's a team of losers to be honest..

Bsavvy

Great choice of partnership. Awesome sport with broad/high visibility, good audience, great drivers and car brand to team up with. The marketing team is doing an awesome job. Also the Super Bowl commercial was pretty good, just was hoping it would be a little more aggressive. Excited for the day I can finally get my Z10 =) US

jic999

I would love to see BBRY commercial stay with the guy on Fire ( waking of the phone ) the Elephant ( the starting of QNX ) to then Transform the guy to flow into and become a Mercesdes car and drive away ! to show QNX ..then he can transform into a plane and fly into outerspace to show off where QNX is !!

00stryder

Michael Jackson's Moonwalker?

tomi150

My favorite smartphone company and my favorite automobile manufacturer partnering up. Nice move BlackBerry and Mercedes-Benz.

BlackJack-21

This is awesome news. I love F1. Whoop whoop!!!

wes2k

That's actually a pretty good move on Blackberry's part. Not only because Formula 1 is such a highly watched event worldwide but being that NBC will be showing coverage of the entire 2013 season. There is the likelihood of further brand recognition stateside.

koool1

Nice to see some major sponsorship. Great team.

Awesome news. Let's get the Z10 rolling!!

backfire101

But in 2007 it didn't make sence, now it does, if this F1 car is running on QNX too. ;)

Tony_Tone

It's running a mclaren/microsoft ecu, same as the rest of the field.

rally5464

This partnership solidifies my belief in Blackberry and the future it has opened itself up to. Jumping on board with Hamiliton and Mercedes, let alone any F1 team, is truly awesome for Blackberry!

taz323

Everyday they are getting the word out more and more, way to go BlackBerry.

formerly_bb

Kick ass - found out about this through F1 sites and then came here. THIS gets people excited about BBRY - not some commercial showing what it can't do. This shows what it CAN. Fast phone, fast motorsport. Rock on!

Edit: Thorsten you ole sunovagun

jic999

Blackberry should also sponsor F1 500cc mototcycle. F1 bikes are popular in USA

sisko2003

maybe not the best choice: i would have preferd some more sustainable thing like a non profit organisation or so. but IF something BIG then F1 is a very good choice:
- it is not so famous in the US but i believe they have the focus on emerging and european markets where F1 is big thing like football/superbowl ;-)
- worldwide in mostly "rich" countries
- the chosen team was not successfull the last seasons but is pushing hard 2013 (consulted by niki lauda from austria)...and cheaper then Red Bull etc.
- german and uk driver, both interesting markets, both countries are very F1 mad, and we have people who either like fancy new stuff (uk) or can afford it (germany)
- and to the dreamboys...Ferrari is a) not affordable, and you are allways in the shadow of Fernando Alonso (most charismatic driver in the F1) and Ferrari itself....thats far different with mercedes

Good choice, Monsieur Boulben!

Dave79

The team was not successful the last seasons is a clear understatement. Lets just say they consistently sucked ever since come back in F1.

F1 is a fast evolving environment Nika Lauda cannot consult anything. Even Micheal Shumacher is too old to tell them anything to develop the car.

Fernando Alonso not charismatic? Do you understand F1? Not to mention he was voted the best driver of the 2012 world championship vote by all the F1 team principals. They probably know better dont you think?

sisko2003

??? i wrote Fernando is the MOST charismatic Driver. Besides that,i am a real fan of Alonso, wished he won the championchip 2012, he deserved it.
i am not saying that lauda is any kind of guarantee - he also consulted jaguar once which was a desaster. i only said they put a lot of effort in the season 2013. and the good days of R. Brawn might be over. And to be honest, i am not sure if it will work out with Lewis. He had a "lucky punch" once as being World Champion. I prefer Button when it comes to the UK drivers.

Dave79

Sorry misread you.

I disagree with you on Lewis Hamilton - I personally think Hamilton and Alonso are couple of steps above any other driver. Sebastian had a superior car and he's a pure talent but still have to mature a few year to be par with Hamilton and Alonso.

Of course Alonso is one step head of Hamilton..

93Aero

(Lewis, next time don't cover the BlackBerry logo with your finger!).

Could be an intentional slight, I follow Hami on Twitter and he's a dire hard iphone fan.
Which doesn't change a thing for me still followed him from McLaren to Mercedes.

The blacker the berry the sweeter the use...

bert106

I thought something like this may emerge, they did use Michael Schumacher at the launch... as they used a lot of Alicia Keys before announcing her as creative director...

araskin

I think this is a very smart move. BB used to be a status symbol (back in the early days). If you had a BB, you were succesfull (or at least on the way there). By associating with Merc. Benz, BB can hopefully recapture some of that allure.

teamfoster03

now why didnt they use the Merc. Benz tie in with the superbowl ad? IT was at the Mer. benz Superdome.

THis is a commercial/partnership that works. THis is money well spent.

PeterRei

Awesome! That's exactly what BlackBerry needs in Europe!

alan510

A great way to kick off the new KEEP MOVING campaign.

mmik9900

Now that's some great marketing! Good to see BB putting themselves out there.

00stryder

So Kevin, can you step out from behind the curtain now? We've all pretty much figured out that you're the Wonderful Wizard of Waterloo after yet another "prediction" of yours has come to light! ;)

beavertail2

Twenty F1 races around the world this year. The Blackberry logo is very prominent and will be seen by people around the world.

Sweet. Another thing I will be looking for while watching the F1 race :)

Go Frank Go.

Rootbrian

I do enjoy watching motorsports. Why? The crashes!!! :D

But glad to see blackberry partnering up. :) GO BBRY!!!!