As the official hotel partner of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula 1 Team, The Ritz-Carlton set out to engage the rapidly growing Formula 1 audience through culturally relevant, creator-led storytelling. With race weekend content saturating social feeds, the challenge was to stand out while staying true to the brand’s luxury positioning.
The campaign partnered with Formula 1 driver George Russell and lifestyle creator Carmen Mundt to create entertaining, behind-the-scenes content that blended the energy of Formula 1 with the relaxed elegance of The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach. Rather than traditional sponsorship content, the strategy prioritized authentic interactions, dynamic video editing, and platform-native storytelling designed for sharing.
The objectives were to:
By placing creators at the center of the narrative, the campaign aimed to modernize The Ritz-Carlton’s social presence, deepen emotional connection with audiences, and prove the effectiveness of creator partnerships as a core engagement strategy.
The campaign execution focused on a multi-platform creator partnership with George Russell and Carmen Mundt. Fast-paced video edits moved between a “fast lap” experience at the track and candid, unscripted moments poolside at The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach. The contrast between high-speed racing and relaxed luxury kept viewers engaged and encouraged repeat viewing.
To maximize impact, the rollout followed a teaser-led strategy. Short-form teasers built anticipation ahead of a longer-form hero interview, while Carmen’s Instagram collaboration post significantly expanded reach. Paid amplification supported distribution across Instagram and TikTok, ensuring visibility during a highly competitive race weekend.
The primary challenge was cutting through a crowded Formula 1 content landscape dominated by sponsorship messaging. This was addressed through unexpected editing, playful talent dynamics, and creator-first storytelling that felt native to each platform. Carmen’s highly engaged audience drove meaningful earned media, extending reach beyond brand-owned channels.
This activation demonstrates the power of strategic creator partnerships, where talent was not an endorsement but an integrated storytelling engine—delivering content optimized for engagement, shareability, and cultural relevance.
The campaign delivered exceptional performance, setting new benchmarks for The Ritz-Carlton and validating creator-led storytelling as a high-impact engagement strategy. The success of the activation was clear as the collab post with Carmen Mundt was the #1 most shared and saved Meta post of the year and one of Marriott Luxury Group’s top-performing posts
Owned Channel Results:
Earned Results from Carmen Mundt’s Channel:
Beyond metrics, the campaign successfully brought the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS partnership to life in a fresh, culturally fluent way—reinforcing The Ritz-Carlton’s position as a modern luxury brand at the intersection of sport, culture, and storytelling.
