M-Sport Member Spotlight​

Emily Chapman

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PR and Event Coordinator is an exciting role that involves working both in Dovenby and on events with Emily Chapman, the face behind the screen. Below is her experience over the past three years.

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What’s involved in your role as a PR and Events Coordinator?

I mean, what’s not involved? It’s a fairly overreaching role so I get to be involved in a lot of really exciting things. Day-to-day I do a lot of PR and Media – so that’s things like arranging driver interviews, scheduling driver activation, creating schedules and writing press releases. I’m also responsible for a lot of the logistics surrounding media activities. So when we went to Goodwood for example, we had quite a few projects going and I did a lot of the coordination surrounding that. On events, I’ll also work with Seb on the social media side of things – taking images and videos and coordinating our content to maximise exposure across all our different platforms. There’s also a bit of a crossover when it comes to event management. So on rallies I’ll book all the tours and any guest meals with our caterers, and sometimes I also deliver tours in the Service Park. I also help with partner events and partner activation – particularly when it comes to Castrol and Safety Culture who we work particularly closely with. 

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I’m also responsible for tracking all our social media data. In fact one of my first projects was to create a database of everything we have ever posted online so that we can automatically track all of our key performance indicators – basically pulling together our total impressions and views over a set period of time and comparing those segments. I learnt a lot about Excel doing that, and it’s something I’m really proud of as it has become such a valuable tool.

Online content and activation has taken the focus and the global impact of that has become really significant. Reach is a huge part of attracting and maintaining sponsors, and we can show the visibility of their brands and products reaching x many millions of people around the world.

 

How long have you been with M-Sport?

I started in November 2021. My Dad had seen an advert about M-Sport looking for graduates and said that I should apply. I was working part-time and didn’t have a massive amount of experience, but I’d done some social media for a charity I was volunteering for and had a basic understanding of the sport having done a fair bit of grass root stuff with my Dad. I was offered the job after my trial, and Rich suggested that it might be a good idea for me to go to Monza so my first proper week was a fairly chaotic one! I drove up with all my stuff on Sunday night, stayed in a hotel, collected my laptop and team kit on Monday, and then I was on a plane to Italy on Tuesday!

 

What is life like on events?

Tiring! I remember being shocked on my first event about how little sleep you get, but I’m pretty used to it now. It’s surprising how I can have three hours sleep and then go into a 16-hour day and feel totally fine. But as tiring as it can be, I love working on events.  Everyone is there together and there’s always something going on. There’s a nice atmosphere and we’re all in it together – all getting up early and eating together and hopefully celebrating together too!

There’s always a buzz and no day is ever the same.

 

You said you’d done some grass root rallying?

I did a lot of road rallying with my Dad in his 205. I’ve done some Autotests in the past too, but it was mainly navigating on road rallies with my Dad. It was always a lot of fun, and my little niche thing to do. Growing up around rallying definitely helps me today. It’s not the same level, but the basics and all the terminology is the same.

 

What’s the best thing about your job, and what has been your most memorable moment?

The best thing about my job is going on events and working with a lot of different people. I work closely with Rich [Millener] and Stew [Berry] as well as with the Travel Office and all of the Engineers and Technicians. I get a feel for everything and get to see how everyone’s individual input comes into creating the end result. The work is so varied, and you certainly don’t get bored in this job.

As for my highlight so far, I think that has to be Rally Sweden. As amazing as it was, it was also so scary and I don’t think I’ve ever been as stressed as I was on that Sunday afternoon! Seb wasn’t there as he was working with the Juniors and I was like, “oh my god, we’re going to win a rally and I’m going to have to coordinate this whole thing!!” I’m really proud of myself for doing that and for taking the time to enjoy the moment.