The Ritz-Carlton: Lewis Hamilton in Budapest

For the 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix, The Ritz-Carlton wanted to showcase its partnership with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team through an impressive activation. With luxury, location, talent, and celebrity on hand to create an experience that would surprise and delight in person and engage on social media, The Ritz-Carlton, Budapest became a center of attention during the race, all leading up to a visit from seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton.



Creating an exciting race week involved the coordination of on-the-ground, digital, and social elements shared by The Ritz-Carlton and the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team. To create a unique experience, The Ritz-Carlton looked to Louis-Nicolas Darbon, official Artist Partner for the brand.



An animated travel poster by Darbon generated anticipation across social media channels ahead of the race, and drove to behind-the-scenes content on the Journey, The Ritz-Carlton’s digital hub for travel inspiration. Louis-Nicolas’ time on the ground in Budapest led to highly engaging video content based on his exploration in the city and on the racing-inspired mural he painted at the entrance of The Ritz-Carlton, Budapest, created for The Ritz-Carlton brand social media and for his personal channels.



The mural also provided the backdrop to a highlight of the weekend — a visit from Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One driver and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton’s appearance drew crowds outside the hotel as he met with Louis-Nicolas Darbon, captured in a top-performing reel for The Ritz-Carlton Instagram channel.



After the checkered flags had fallen, the experience in Budapest bridged the gap between luxury consumers and racing enthusiasts, creating #RCMemories of an exceptional event.