From F1 to Arsenal: Why WhatsApp Is Playing for More Than Sport | Elevation Live! with Kevin Baron

Why are some of the world’s biggest technology companies investing so heavily in Formula 1, football, and global sports fandoms? At the F1 Miami Grand Prix weekend, Kevin Baron sits down with Vivian Odior, head of marketing for Meta Consumer Apps — including WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and Creators — to discuss why WhatsApp partnered with Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team and Premier League powerhouse Arsenal, and what those partnerships reveal about the changing role of global sport in technology, influence, culture, and business. The conversation explores: • AI and technology partnerships in modern sport • How sports increasingly function as global platforms for connection and influence • Why "Mercedes runs on WhatsApp” • How encrypted messaging became part of Formula One storytelling in Netflix’s “The Seat” • Why WhatsApp became deeply embedded in markets like India and Brazil • Why Meta still sees WhatsApp as a challenger brand in the United States • The globalization of fandom • The rise of women and younger audiences in Formula One