Lanna Hill: Luxury brands trade away exclusivity to target the masses as shown by new Brad Pitt F1 film

Once upon a time, Formula 1 didn’t want American fans. It didn’t need them.

A global sport with its heart in old money Europe and a tightly controlled image, F1 cultivated exclusivity and cultural specificity with intent and efficacy: the sport was always seen as expensive, elusive, and off-limits to the casual observer.

But that’s changed. This week, the new Formula 1 film hit cinemas — a big budget, wide-release Hollywood production starring one of the most recognisable icons of all-American virility in Brad Pitt, all designed to convert the masses. It follows a string of moves that show the sport isn’t just loosening its grip on exclusivity — it’s trading on the idea of access.

And it’s working.

The films follows hot on the heels of the wildly successful Netflix series Drive to Survive. Together, they form part of a much bigger strategy — one that’s turning a previously insular, tradition-bound sport into a global cultural force. US viewership of F1 nearly doubled after the show’s launch, which drew up to 16.9 million viewers per episode.

Gen Z and female audiences for F1 have jumped 31 per cent and 46 per cent respectively — emerging markets that are highly valuable to advertisers. And social media engagement? Up 49 per cent year on year, making it the fastest growing sport online globally.

But here’s the twist: the luxury is still there. It’s just repackaged. VIP zones, private member partnerships, and hospitality experiences costing tens of thousands haven’t gone anywhere. They’re now just surrounded by more content, more interaction, and more seemingly open access points. The champagne is as expensive as it always was — there are just more people Instagramming it from outside the fence.

This isn’t unique to F1. Luxury brands across sectors are experimenting with the balance of aspiration and accessibility. Louis Vuitton took a bold but calculated risk by appointing Pharrell Williams — a rapper, songwriter and producer, not a designer, as their men’s creative director back in 2023. Or how Wimbledon, traditionally inviolable, found itself in headlines when influencer Mia Zelu showed up courtside, sparking debate not because she was or wasn’t invited, but because she’s not real — she’s AI. The controlled proximity is a signature move from the new brand playbook.

It’s about appearing accessible and more egalitarian, without sacrificing the brand’s power or price. It’s a very clever and very profitable sleight of hand: repositioning prestige through visibility, not devaluing it through dilution.

And let’s be honest: some of this is survival. The global economy has reshaped brand behaviour. Broadcast deals in the West have plateaued, and sponsorship dollars are harder won. F1’s transformation is, in part, a business decision — one aimed at keeping the sport bankable in an increasingly fragmented attention economy.

But there’s a bigger takeaway here for leaders, marketers, and businesses of all kinds, especially in Australia, where our appetite for global relevance often outpaces our investment in it.

If your brand relies on scarcity alone, it may be in trouble. Today’s audiences want behind-the-scenes access, not just a front-row seat. They want luxury with a human edge. And they want to know that access — at least in theory — is possible.

Because in 2025, cultural relevance might be the most powerful luxury of all.

Lanna Hill is the founder and director of Leverage Media Group