When a brand prepares to launch a new product, the first question is usually "where do we hold it?" A five-star hotel is still the default, and it's a safe one. But if the product is about motion, speed or hands-on experience, ask a different question: where will guests actually feel the product? Sometimes the answer is a race track.

Which products fit a track

Product launch events at a kart track aren't about borrowing an unusual venue. The setting itself should say what the brand wants guests to feel. Three groups of products fit most naturally.

The first is products tied directly to vehicles and speed, such as parts, oil, tires, accessories and vehicle insurance. The messages of durability, precision and safety can be told by the surroundings themselves.

The second is products aimed at young, active people, such as energy drinks, wearables, sportswear and tech devices. They would rather experience a product than listen to a pitch.

The third is services that need a story about reliability, such as insurance, banking and personal finance. Here the track works as a metaphor, and the creative team has to take care that the metaphor doesn't backfire.

When not to choose a track

Three situations are clear.

  1. The event needs a hall with hundreds of seats, so a large audience can watch an announcement from a stage.
  2. The product is sensitive or formal, such as medical services or complex finance that needs a long explanation.
  3. Most guests don't want to take part in physical activity, or can't.

In these cases the track works better as an add-on, for example an afternoon after the official launch elsewhere, than as the main venue.

Filming equipment captures racing moments to use as content after the event
Filming equipment captures racing moments to use as content after the event

A two-hour launch

Infinity Racing has two event zones. Zone 2 (115 m²) is designed as a premium networking area for ceremonies, socializing and brand displays, and Zone 1 (73 m²) is for warm-up and people waiting. Here is a structure you could use.

  1. Welcome guests and show the product in Zone 2, 30 minutes. Guests look, ask questions and take photos.
  2. A short announcement, 15 minutes at most. The presenter says only three things: what the product is, why it's different and how guests will use it.
  3. The experience, 60 minutes. Guests race heat by heat, with the product appearing in the experience where possible.
  4. Socializing and gift pickup, 15 to 30 minutes.

The time guests spend waiting for a heat is a chance to keep them near the display. It works better than handing out flyers, because they have time to pick the product up and look at it properly.

Media and visuals

A track gives you imagery you can't get from a hotel backdrop, which helps your content. But plan the filming ahead of time. Ask the operator about rules for filming and photography in the racing area, where equipment can go, the lighting, and what time the crew can start setting up.

For press and influencers, plan a separate segment. The article on the exhibition media kit describes a document set for press, and you can reuse its structure for a product launch.

Technical points to confirm

A few questions need written answers from the operator rather than assumptions.

  • The screen or projector for the announcement: available on site, or rented in
  • Sound for speeches, and whether engine noise drowns it out
  • Power and outlet positions for display equipment
  • Rules on logos, signage and branded items in the racing area
  • The maximum number of guests per zone under fire regulations

The article on the Site Visit explains how to survey a venue. It takes one session and saves a lot of worry on the day.

The product display sits near where guests wait for their heat, to make use of the waiting time
The product display sits near where guests wait for their heat, to make use of the waiting time

Budget, and who should be at the table

The operator's reference all-inclusive package runs from VND 70 to 100 million (about US$2,700 to 3,800), covering kart racing, food and drink and entertainment. It does not include brand production such as backdrops, presentation equipment and filming. Split the launch budget in two: venue and operations, and brand content.

One thing to arrange from the start: get the person in charge of the brand and the person in charge of safety into the same meeting. A track has its own safety rules, and the creative has to work within them.

Measuring results

For a launch, track how many invited guests actually came, how many tried the product, how often it was mentioned on social media within 48 hours, and how many orders or contact requests came in within two weeks. The article on event ROI describes how to choose suitable indicators.

If you're considering this for an upcoming product, see the Infinity Racing page or send a quote request with the product type, guest count and planned date.

Guests remember the product they got to touch more than the one they heard about.