Its sponsorship partnership with Red Bull, and a high-profile presence it has at this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix and the forthcoming Las Vegas event, are much more about shifting perceptions of what it is about now.
While it may be best known for the chain of more than 250 Hard Rock Cafes around the world, its push into the hotel and casino business have seen it evolve in to an entertainment and lifestyle brand – and it sees F1 has the perfect way to get that message across.
In fact, nothing helped it more in doing that than the Hard Rock Beach Club it set up at the Miami Grand Prix last year – and which is in returning in a bigger and better way for this weekend.
The iconic swimming pool and cabana set-up, bringing real sand to an F1 track as it hosted day-long parties, provided some of the more memorable images and sounds of last year’s Miami GP spectacle.
As Hard Rock International’s President of Entertainment, Keith Sheldon explained to Motorsport.com: “Hard Rock's brand awareness is almost second to none. But brand perception is something that we're looking to shift with consumers.
“It’s that we're a global brand, and we are culturally relevant. We are just scratching the surface when it comes to our involvement with all the biggest and best cultural attractions.
“F1 certainly helps us break through to the consumer on an international level, more than really almost any other sport.”
Source: Autosport