It's time to Race into Cultural Event Marketing
If you haven’t heard of Formula 1 (F1) yet, we’d be surprised. The international single-seater formula racing cars and their drivers have been globally beloved for years, and the popularity in America has grown immensely. This is due in part to Netflix’s Drive to Survive series with 6 seasons and because F1 has started hosting more Grand Prix races here in America in the last few years. Brands are taking notice, and they want to be a part of this prestigious and global phenomenon.
Most recently on May 5 the 2024 Miami Grand Prix took place at the Miami International Autodrome in Florida. Tickets sold out and an estimated 275,000 attended the race weekend. Packed with celebrities, content creators, athletes, influencers, and global superstars, it was THE place to be. And THE place to develop premium content. Due to the younger fanbase, F1 racing took over social media platforms during race weekend. Prominent news organizations and fashion blogs covered celebrity sightings and fashion at the event. Brands like Charlotte Tilbury, Raising Canes, Liquid I.V. and many more got involved in different ways.
Beauty brand Charlotte Tilbury’s first-ever global sports sponsorship is the F1 Academy. This is a new project from Formula 1 to develop female drivers to progress to higher levels of competition. They used race weekend to promote their Magic Hydrator Mist to protect your skin from race fumes.
Raising Canes filled their suite with Canes food and huge celebrities like Hulk Hogan and Joe Burrow. A co-branding win-win-win!
Liquid I.V. set up shop around the Autodrome with branded touchpoints and garage-themed sampling pop-ups. The Race House club experience featured branded lounge areas, logoed pillows, seating, and custom race themed beverages.
Other accolades for the American F1 events include a boom to local economy. A report by Clark County in Nevada estimated the debut of the Grand Prix last November generated nearly $1.5 billion in economic impact. With the rise in popularity comes a rise in viewership. The May 5 Grand Prix in Miami was the most watched F1 race in the history of US TV with ABC averaging 3.1 million viewers.
From an advertising, marketing, and content perspective if you haven’t jumped on the F1 bandwagon yet, it’s time to. Associating your brand with cultural events is a great way to organically be part of the conversation’s customers are having in real time. F1 in particular connects with a younger audience which is increasingly important in the world of social media. Or, take inspiration from Charlotte Tilbury and connect with an unexpected event to get people interested and talking about your brand. Whether it’s a smaller niche local event or a larger mass-appeal event, find a way to be a part of it.
