Ayrton Senna

The Ayrton Senna Institute, the non-profit educational organization based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, is looking for a PR firm to bolster fundraising in the US.

Named after the storied three-time Formula 1 racing champion who died in a crash, ASI works to improve the education of Brazilian children and young people. 

The organization defines its mission as building a bridge “between education and the other sciences to promote the creation of evidence-based educational policies and practices,” according to its website.

Launched in 1994 by the family of Ayrton Senna, ASI has programs in elementary and high schools in more than 660 municipalities, which benefit more than 1.5M students per year.

The non-profit is funded by donations, licensing and partnerships with private sector companies eager to tap into the enduring global appeal of Senna.

On its website, ASI touts the power of the Ayrton Senna brand. “The same immortalization Ayrton Senna conquered in the heart of his fans and admirers is also reflected in the success of his brands,” it says.  "The products which carry the brand of the Brazilian driver translate the perfection of the manoeuvers, the overcoming of any obstacle, the thrill of victory, and the determination to do more and better that he lived both on and off the racetrack.”

A Young & Rubicam study in 2006 (a dozen years after Senna’s death) ranked the deceased race car driver as the No. 1 celebrity with licensing potential among the Brazilian public, while Nippon TV called him the 22nd most idolized personality of all time among Japanese people.

ASI is working with Bain & Co.'s Sao Paulo office to find a PR firm that can help it develop a communications strategy geared at US foundations and corporations.