How Damson Idris’ Met Gala Look Promoted A Movie: 5 Tactics On Creating Buzz For Your Brand

Damson Idris at the 2025 Met Gala

If there is one thing Damson Idris’s MET Gala appearance taught us, it is how to turn a red carpet moment into a strategic marketing opportunity. For the “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” theme, the British actor arrived at the Gala in a tear-away APXGP racing suit, one that’s identical to the one he wears in his role as Joshua in the upcoming F1 movie. However, the look was more than just a fashion statement, it was a calculated branding move that teased and generated buzz for the film.

With the film's release set for June 27, F1’s marketing team has presented a compelling case study on brand storytelling. Here are five powerful tactics we can learn from their approach to generating buzz and engagement.

1. Humanize your brand

People resonate with stories, not products or services. When Damson Idris arrived at the MET in a full motorsport ensemble – a branded motorcar, the Swarovski-studded racing helmet, and the tear-away revealing Tommy Hilfiger’s red suit, it was not just fashion. It was storytelling in motion. Idris embodied F1’s essence: innovation, excellence, and precision.

The film itself is also a masterclass in brand storytelling. Turning the brand into a narrative, humanizing it to evoke emotion. This dual approach helps F1 to reach new audiences beyond traditional motorsport fans.

Key insight: Define your brand story and core values; once defined, let it serve as the compass for every public touchpoint, from campaigns to how your brand shows up publicly.

2. Leveraging events to drive engagement

Events provide excellent platforms to amplify your brand’s presence. F1 used the MET Gala, a high-profile, fundraising event where celebrities and designers showcase their fashion under a specific theme, to spark conversation and build momentum for the upcoming movie. This generated significant engagement and positioned the actor as one of the MET gala’s best-dressed for the night.

Key insight: You don’t need extravagant events to gain visibility for your brand. Instead, identify events that align with your brand identity and target audience. Collaborate or create relevant content around these moments and trending conversations to increase brand engagement.

3. Collaboration & Partnerships

Collaborations are another way of organically sparking conversation around your brand. For the outfit, Damson Idris collaborated with Tommy Hilfiger for a custom-made suit.  This collaboration enhanced visibility for both the F1 film and the fashion brand allowing them to penetrate each other’s audiences. 

Key insight: For your campaigns, partner with brands or influencers that align with your brand. Such collaborations and partnerships will assist you in tapping into new markets and boosting your brand reach.

4. Cross-Industry Branding

Cross-industry introduces the brand to entirely new audiences by collaborating across different sectors. Unlike traditional partnerships, these open up fresh brand relevance.

The F1 movie, Damson Idris, a star-studded range of artists in the album, and Tommy Hilfiger exemplify how fashion, music, and entertainment – three distinct industries – can be used to generate buzz and broaden the brand’s appeal. This strategy transforms F1 into a brand that appeals to music lovers, motorsports fans, fashion enthusiasts, and people who follow pop culture.

Key insight: Never hesitate to explore collaborations or partnerships that are beyond your operating industry. Cross-industry collaborations can unlock new and fresh experiences that will set your brand apart.

5. Influencer Public Relations

With the rise of digital platforms, influencers act as opinion leaders, shaping what their followers trust and buy. While actors like Damson Idris or Brad Pitt are not traditionally influencers, they do carry influence in their involvement with brand partnerships and collaborations. For example, their lead roles in F1 bring their audiences into the world of motorsports racing and help the brand penetrate their followers.

Key insight: For your brand, find influencers who align with your brand values and involve them in your campaigns.

By integrating storytelling, leveraging events, forming collaborations, even with industries beyond your immediate industry and casting people with influence, F1 continues to build buzz, momentum, and anticipation leading up to the movie’s release date. This marketing approach demonstrates how brands worldwide can create buzz that resonates across diverse markets.

You can do the same.

Want to create buzz for your brand?

At Coral Communications, we assist brands to cut through the noise with bold, culturally relevant PR and Marketing strategies.

Let’s make your brand buzz-worthy.