I’m always cooking up wild ideas—some land, some don’t. But this one felt too good not to share.
Let’s start with a trend we all know: COLORSxSTUDIOS. Artist in front of a solid color, mic hanging… timeless. Now picture that same quiet, iconic frame—but instead of a singer, you’ve got a Kentucky Thoroughbred. A horse. Against a bold UK-blue background. Mic right in front. The camera holds. The horse blinks. Then—maybe one perfect neigh.
Because of course Lexington can—nay must—own a moment like that.
Why It Works (seriously inexpensive, absurdly shareable)
- Instant recognition: People know the COLORS setup. A horse in that format? Instantly hilarious and memorable.
- Archetypically Lexington: It’s the Horse Capital of the World. It’s Horse Country. This isn’t just a gag—it’s on brand.
- Ready-made for social: It only takes one clip of this to send timelines spiraling.
- Minimal setup, massive payoff: All you need is a horse, a plain wall, a mic—and a good camera. That’s it.
Execution Ideas
The first release would have to be “Pony” by Ginuwine—playful, cheeky, and guaranteed to blow up across TikTok and Instagram. From there, Lexington could lean into other horse-inspired tracks that carry instant recognition. “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X would be the perfect follow-up, bringing back the country-meets-hip-hop anthem that already feels like a meme waiting to happen in this format. Another strong choice would be “Dark Horse” by Katy Perry, a pop hit that plays right into the visual joke while still being instantly familiar to global audiences. Each video could be shot with a different backdrop color to keep the visuals fresh and symbolic—UK blue, Keeneland green, or even bourbon gold.
And while the horses would anchor the series, it could expand beyond them to showcase the human side of Lexington’s equine culture by bringing jockeys under the mic. Imagine a Keeneland campaign where jockeys drop 30-second spoken word clips about race day, the energy of the crowd, or the discipline it takes to prepare for the spring and fall meets—each one captured in the same COLORSxSTUDIOS aesthetic.
The Takeaway
Tourism doesn’t always need glossy commercials or wordy slogans. Sometimes, the most effective marketing comes from flipping a cultural trend into a local twist. In this case, Lexington can own a COLORS parody that makes people laugh, share, and — most importantly — remember where it came from.
Because when a horse sings “Pony” in COLORSxSTABLE — and when the follow-ups include “Old Town Road” and “Dark Horse” — nobody’s going to forget where it’s from.
gathandborden.com 