This year, Polygon Managing Director, Martin Allerton, celebrates his 35^th anniversary of working with the Gulf brand.  Yes, 35 years! How many other marketeers have achieved such a landmark?

Polygon is proud of the longstanding business partnerships and collaborations we have forged throughout this time and the unique successes we’ve helped our clients achieve. Our association with Gulf started in 1988 when Martin was recruited to Gulf Oil (Great Britain) Ltd. Three years later he was appointed to the Brand team, had a hand in the rebranding of the Gulf forecourts in the UK before becoming involved in taking Gulf back into motorsport after a 19-year absence.

Polygon was formed in 1994 to ‘oversee all aspects of Gulf’s global motorsport programme.’ At the beginning, that meant two Gulf branded McLaren F1 ‘supercars’ with Polygon, poised to transform a multi-faceted marketing programme into a world-renowned success story. There was excitement as we secured 5 wins in 1995, won the BPR Global Endurance Series in 1996 and a prestigious class win in 1997 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The Gulf brand was attracting worldwide attention and so too was Polygon; we were promoting and marketing global motorsports, helped secure a 3-year deal for Cheltenham to host the Network Q Rally, worked for SRO and the FIA GT’s, the 5-event European Le Mans Series and the Powerboat P1 World Championships, to name a few. New commissions followed…

Martin Allerton explains: “2023 marks 35 years since I started working with the GULF brand. Throughout I’ve always seen myself as a protector of the brand and wouldn’t be surprised if my blood runs blue and orange. For many years it was so full on that I probably didn’t appreciate the magnitude of what we were achieving. I do now.

Our business continues to work with Gulf Retail with the same passion and commitment and for three consecutive years we have helped Gulf Retail win the Forecourt Trader Best Oil Company Initiative Award. That may not quite be up there with international motor racing programmes, but it has been no less satisfying.”

To look back on some of the highlights of those 35 years, click here to see the Polygon timeline.