Shorts: Aston Martin, MSQ Sport, Man City

Aston Martin have launched a new event space at its Silverstone-based technology campus to combine motorsport and music

The recently unveiled £200m Aston Martin Formula One Team Technology Campus now includes a brand experience centre, which hosted its inaugural Soundcheck event. The space features a stage for live performances, with Newcastle-based singer-songwriter Andrew Cushin headlining the launch.

The team, rebranded under the Aston Martin name in 2021 and owned by Lawrence Stroll, fields drivers Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso. The latter has secured six podium finishes in the current season’s first eight races.

Sophie Ackland, Chief People Officer at the F1 team, said, “This campus is so incredibly special and it’s absolutely crucial in terms of our strategy for becoming a world championship winning team.

“They dedicate their lives to this and work so incredibly hard to be a part of this team.”

MSQ Sport + Entertainment has appointed Georgia Bridgwood as Strategy Partner,

Bridgwood has joined from Sky Creative, where she served as Head of Strategy, leading major campaigns such as The Greatest Show on Earth, which showcased Sky Sports’ offerings through collaborations with Idris Elba and other prominent sports stars.

In her new role, Bridgwood is set to lead strategic development for the agency’s portfolio of clients, leveraging her expertise to craft strategies that address the unique challenges and opportunities within the sport and entertainment industries.

As the first senior full-time hire for MSQ Sport + Entertainment’s founders, Jamie Wynne-Morgan and Steve Martin, Bridgwood’s appointment signals the agency’s commitment to building a strong leadership team. Two additional senior hires, a Creative Partner and a Managing Partner are both expected to join in early 2025.

Bridgwood prior experience includes senior roles at The Union, one of Scotland’s largest advertising agencies, and GOOD Agency. She has also held marketing roles at organisations such as Breakthrough Breast Cancer and MQ, a mental health charity.

Bridgwood said, “The agency’s ambition to be the very best and to offer something truly new and exciting to clients is a huge draw and it’s already clear to see that Jamie and Steve are committed to delivering a bold, creative vision. I can’t wait to contribute to the next chapter of our success.”

Puma and Manchester City have introduced an AI-powered kit design platform that allows fans to create the club’s official third kit for the 2026/27 season

The Puma AI Creator tool, developed with Deepobjects, enables fans to design kits using text prompts, customisation options, and interactive sliders. This initiative gives Manchester City supporters the chance to contribute their designs for a kit that will be worn on-pitch by the team and made available for sale.

Participants will receive initial design credits upon signing up, with additional credits available through activities such as rating other fan submissions.

Submissions will remain open until the 20th December, after which PUMA and Manchester City kit experts will select a shortlist of ten designs. Public voting in January will decide the winning kit.

Ahead of the official rollout, a preview event was held at the Etihad Stadium and showcased the AI tool, featuring the club’s goalkeeper Ederson, who revealed a limited-edition AI-designed goalkeeper kit he co-created.

Nuria Tarre, Chief Marketing & Fan Experience Officer at City Football Group said, “Through the power of AI, we are delighted to offer fans this special opportunity to be a part of Manchester City history and design a kit that could one day be worn by their heroes on the pitch. Each City kit plays a fundamental role in connecting fans around the world to our club and we’re excited to see how they engage with this truly unique initiative.”

“Our enthusiasm for creating innovative and unique fan experiences is shared by PUMA, who continue to work with us to create memorable kits that represent our City, our club and our fans.”

Sheffield United have partnered with Noco for the remainder of the 2024/25 EFL Sky Bet Championship season

Noco, the battery power solutions company, will serve as the club’s partner for battery power products, with its branding set to appear on the back of the team’s shorts starting this weekend in the match against West Bromwich Albion.

Liam Robinson, Sheffield United’s Commercial Manager, said, “We are delighted to welcome NOCO to the Sheffield United family as our official partner. A very strong brand with aligning values to the club. We’re excited to see this partnership come to life on the pitch starting this weekend.”

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