Orange and blue are iconic in motorsport. They represent the Gulf Oils sponsorship with some of the biggest brands in racing. Throughout the 70s and 80s, motorsport was at its height, and so was sponsorship deals. The restrictions on what could be advertised to the public was extremely lenient, so anything went. Cigarettes, oils, condoms, anything went. So to have a stand out product, you have to have a stand out sponsorship. And a stand out sponsorship was a good looking livery.
The guys best at this was the smokes companies- Marlboro, Rothmans, Camel. They had the resources available to design some of the prettiest paint jobs motorsport had ever seen. Immediately, they became iconic. I don’t even smoke, or know cigarette brands well enough, but I know these names, because of how frequently it was plastered aside a car. Gulf, was one for the oil giants of the time. They sponsored almost all types of motor racing of the time. And they were clever too- iconic, stand apart colours, and exclusive car and team sponsors. If you saw the car, your were to immediately think Gulf oils. Blue and Orange, could only mean one thing. And it worked. Please love aesthetic, even when it contradicted their morals. You didn’t smoke, but your loved Michael Schumacher in his Marlboro Ferrari. It’s impacts are still seen today. Also any motorsport fan what’s his best looking car, and chances is it’s a car sponsored by a shady cigarette or oil company. That’s just how it is.
Marketing works.
Sponsorship works.
There’s a reason we live in the era of advertisements.
If it makes the man part with his hard earned cash, it’s gotta be hella powerful.
And man, is it powerful.
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