Last night, Meta’s popular messaging platform WhatsApp rolled out a custom race car emoji, replacing its standard version with a Mercedes-Benz F1 Team design. This update, now live for over two billion users, was showcased at a special event hosted at the iconic Empire State Building.
Starting this week, WhatsApp users will notice a distinct change in their chats – the race car emoji has been updated to mirror the sleek, teal and black open-wheel design of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 car. This initiative marks the latest activation in the partnership between WhatsApp and the Mercedes F1 team, which began in November of last year. Further cementing the collaboration, Mercedes has integrated WhatsApp’s green logo into the team radio button on their drivers’ steering wheels. This strategic placement provides significant brand visibility for WhatsApp whenever in-car camera footage is broadcast during races.
Key figures from the Mercedes team, including Team Principal Toto Wolff and star driver Lewis Hamilton, attended the Empire State Building event. The skyscraper’s façade was illuminated with a dynamic light show featuring the new emoji. Meta also announced significant growth in the U.S. market, reporting double-digit increases in daily active users and message volume. Adding to the excitement, Lewis Hamilton is scheduled to conduct a demonstration run down Fifth Avenue today, driving a previous generation Mercedes F1 car – a first-of-its-kind event for Formula 1 in Manhattan. A life-size replica of the new race car emoji will also be prominently displayed during the demonstration.
These high-profile activations precede the highly anticipated Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix, scheduled for Sunday at 4pm ET on ABC. This strategic partnership and emoji launch highlight the innovative ways brands are leveraging collaborations to engage audiences and boost visibility in the competitive digital landscape, particularly within the fast-paced world of Formula 1 and mobile communication.
