A MotoGP Lesson in Digital Marketing: Taking Risks & Finding Your Groove

As a lifelong MotoGP fan, I’ve always had a complicated relationship with Marc Marquez. His undeniable talent and record-breaking achievements are hard to ignore, but his aggressive riding style often left me feeling a bit uneasy & left a bad taste in my mouth. Love him or hate him, his recent resurgence, resulting in his first victory in over 1000 days this past weekend, has forced me to reconsider my perspective. (Hard eye-roll for myself)

Marc Marquez’s journey is a masterclass in resilience and determination. After a series of debilitating injuries, he faced a crossroads: give up & retire or make hard decisions & fight back. His decision to persevere is a testament to his unwavering commitment to his craft. But there’s another lesson to be learned from his story: the importance of taking calculated risks.

When Marquez made the bold move to leave Repsol Honda for Ducati (after 10 years with Honda), many questioned his decision and some said ‘It’s about time’. The switch was a gamble, but it ultimately paid off. Not only did he secure a new contract, but he also found a bike that suited his riding style. The transformation was evident. Marquez seemed happier, more relaxed, and, dare I say, more confident. (cough cough)

But can we apply these lessons to digital marketing, particularly paid marketing – or is it just a stretch? Let’s see…

1. Resilience: In the face of setbacks, it’s essential to remain persistent. Just as Marquez bounced back from his injuries, marketers must learn to adapt to challenges and failures. I will talk here about my own experiences with the Meta platform. How many times this platform has made me question my entire career and all my life choices? Sometimes the ads themself are buggy, and other times the lack of support from Meta is robotic and non-existent. But we push through by opening another support chat, and emailing another email address, to eventually reach a human!
2. Risk-taking:Sometimes, the biggest rewards come from taking calculated risks. Whether it’s experimenting with new platforms, testing new ad formats, or trying out a different targeting strategy, stepping outside of your comfort zone can lead to significant breakthroughs. For me, when I have been working on accounts for 1 year+, I tend to find a rhymin with an ad account and its audience, then when results start to go down, it’s important for me, of course, to discuss with my client that I will be doing some drastic testing. And you know what? 9 out of 10 times we find the next gold mine that can carry us for the next couple of months.
3. Finding your groove: Marquez’s success with Ducati highlights the importance of finding the right tools and strategies. In digital marketing, this means identifying the platforms, channels, and tactics that align with your goals and audience. I have a few tools that I would never do this without – including Canva (ad creatives), Metricool (reporting) and even good old ChatGPT (copy variation creation at lighting speed and much better than Meta’s version).

As a digital marketer, I’ve often found myself drawn to the world of MotoGP. The high-stakes nature of the sport, the constant pursuit of excellence, and the importance of strategy and execution all resonate with my work & work style.

And while I may not always agree with Marquez’s riding style, I can certainly appreciate the lessons he’s taught me about resilience, risk-taking, and finding one’s groove.

P.S. You’ll never hear these kind words from me again for my MotoFoe 😉