We stepped in, not just as an agency but as an extension of Castrol’s in-house event team. Here’s how we made it happen:

Dedicated account team. We formed a core team dedicated solely to Castrol. Each member brought a unique skill set:

• Experienced events manager – A specialist in event flow, foresight, and customer experience.
• Graduate – A fresh perspective with a natural flair for the details.
• Agency founder – Big-picture thinking to align event strategy with business goals.
• Travel coordinator – A specialist in guest transport, transfers and accommodation logistics. Happy guests = successful event.

Regular communication and collaboration. We implemented structured communication, clear processes, and a more collaborative way of working to streamline operations, lighten the workload for the client internally and ensure every event ran like clockwork. These included:

• Live, shared documents – we introduced dynamic, real-time documents accessible to both ourselves and Castrol teams. This improved transparency, reduced email traffic, and ensured that all stakeholders had continual access to the latest event details.
• Regular check-ins – Weekly meetings provided structured updates, aligning both teams on event progress, objectives, and any evolving requirements.
• Direct market engagement – By meeting directly with Castrol’s regional markets, we gained a clearer understanding of their goals and expectations for each event application.
• Defined roles and responsibilities – we developed clear scopes of work for each event to eliminate confusion and duplication of effort. This framework outlined exactly which responsibilities sat with us, which remained with Castrol’s in-house team, and where third-party agencies played a role. By setting these boundaries upfront, planning became far more efficient, and everyone involved clearly understood expectations.
• Templating – Each event now has a template. It’s a simple process that saves hours and allows clear time for creative thinking and added value.

Smart budgeting and financial transparency. With more events across multiple countries and currencies, financial oversight was essential. We introduced budgeting processes, ensuring cost efficiencies without compromising quality. By tracking committed and actual spending against forecasts, the team provided Castrol with greater financial transparency, helping them make better-informed decisions and allocate budgets more effectively across different event activations.

Full E&C and HSSE immersion. Our team proactively gained a complete understanding of Castrol’s HSSE and Ethics and Compliance requirements to add a layer of support in ensuring these elements are built into the event planning process.

A two-way partnership, not just an executional agency. Unlike a traditional agency-client relationship where the agency takes a brief and delivers, we worked as a true strategic partner. The team proactively identified areas for improvement, suggested new approaches to improve ways of working across the European and META markets and enhance event delivery. Playing a key role in shaping Castrol’s event offering and strategies rather than just executing a brief.

These structural improvements didn’t just make day-to-day event management easier; they helped Castrol operate more efficiently, reduce unnecessary workload, and ensure every event was delivered to the highest standard.

Scaling up.

Ignition went from managing six UK experiences to delivering 20 across Europe, covering:

• UK experiences, including BWT Alpine F1 factory tours and PalmerSport driving days
• Ice Driving
• F1
• Audi driving and factory tour
• Distributor conference
• WRC
• MotoGP
• Football with Tottenham Hotspur
• Entertainment at the NEC, hosting Castrol guests in the bp pulse LIVE lounge before concerts.

Direct market liaison.

We now liaise directly with Castrol’s markets, operating as a true extension of the in-house team.

Enhanced partner relations. Top-tier activations rely on seamless coordination with partners like F1, WRC, MotoGP, and PalmerSport. We strengthened these relationships by focusing on collaboration, clarity and planning.

Positive guest feedback.

“Fantastic event that showcased the Castrol brand and what we offer as a company.”

“I would like to thank the organisers and the whole Castrol team for this informative event. I learnt a lot about the company and how it works with its clients.”

“This event built a stronger relationship and advocacy with the customer guests. They’re now aligned on future business and activations.”

Outstanding client feedback. At the heart of it all, Castrol needed a team they could trust – an agency that delivered business results and made their lives easier. Ignition became that team.