Why the future of ALL business is collaborative [F1 x Disney edition]
The collaboration economy has arrived. And it’s accelerating. The F1 x Disney collaboration isn’t just another licensing deal. It’s a prototype for the next era of business, defined by co-creation.
When Disney and Formula 1 launched their collaboration at Licensing Expo 2025, it didn’t just make headlines, it redefined how legacy institutions are choosing to grow. In an age of collapsing silos and hybrid consumer identities, this partnership isn’t a marketing stunt. It’s a multi-dimensional growth strategy.
Clearly, much of the buzz around this collaboration hinges on its youth appeal. But truly resonating with Gen Z and Gen Alpha demands more than aesthetics or influencers. It requires an attuned understanding of the nuanced tensions that define these generations and the strategic foresight to design for both simultaneously.
F1 x Disney isn't just reaching young audiences - it's translating across two divergent generational languages -
i) Gen Z brings economic caution, digital discernment, and vocal demands for social accountability.
ii) Gen Alpha arrives with tech-native optimism, immersive media fluency, and expectations of institutional responsibility baked into brand behaviour.
Michael Brito, an expert in predictive analytics who helps companies drive strategic business outcomes, developed this comprehensive table below, using insights backed by research from eMarketer, Fast Company, Global Web Index, Harvard Business Review and Deloitte.
While Gen Z navigates a world of paradoxes such as climate anxiety and creator culture, hustle and burnout, Gen Alpha enters a landscape where AI, AR, and ambient entertainment are the norm. They don’t learn technology. They live inside it.
This clearly means the F1 x Disney alliance can’t simply slap Mickey on merchandise and expect loyalty. It must craft ethically immersive experiences that are - authentic and transparent enough for Gen Z + intuitive, gamified, and interactive enough for Gen Alpha.
It must also deliver measurable sustainability outcomes (NOT vague green promises) to retain credibility with both.
In my opinion, the genius of this partnership lies in its potential to navigate these generational crosswinds by building storytelling that is anchored in purpose, expressed through culture, and scaled through tech.
Done right, it becomes a long-term blueprint for capturing today's Gen Z while earning the trust of tomorrow's Gen Alpha, ALL within a collaborative, climate-conscious brand framework.
This collaboration isn’t just a celebration of characters and cars. It’s a new model for cross-sector innovation blending merchandising, digital storytelling, sustainable engineering, and strategic licensing into a cohesive value proposition for the next economy.
Shared Ecosystems
Historically, intellectual property (IP) was treated as proprietary gold — protected within strict legal and commercial boundaries. A Formula 1 engine design or a Disney character existed within fenced industrial categories : automotive vs. entertainment. The idea of these entities “mixing” would once have threatened brand dilution or legal complexity.
But today, the boundaries between sectors have blurred. IP is no longer static, it’s a live asset, optimised not just for protection, but for expansion and resonance. We are witnessing the rise of interoperable IP ecosystems, where characters, logos, mascots, design languages, and technologies are ported across platforms and disciplines to unlock new value chains.
This isn’t just co-branding. It’s co-creation of experience, of cultural capital, and of revenue streams. The success of Louis Vuitton x Supreme or Fortnite x Balenciaga showed us that converging fanbases is good business. But what Disney and F1 are doing is even more expansive: a convergence of emotion (Disney), adrenaline (F1), sustainability ambitions, and youth engagement, ALL anchored by powerful global IP.
The “Mickeyfication of F1” = Youth-first + platform-native + purpose-backed
Let’s be clear: this isn’t about plastering Mickey Mouse on a Red Bull Racing car. This is about F1 strategically embedding itself into the hearts of the next generation on platforms they use, in formats they love, with icons they already cherish.
Youth-first strategy
F1 has been undergoing a deliberate youth-centric shift since the Liberty Media acquisition in 2017. Netflix’s Drive to Survive opened the floodgates, but the real momentum lies in TikTok, where over half of F1’s 10 million+ followers are under 25. Disney characters allow F1 to speak the language of a much younger demographic (children aged 8 to 12) well before they become fans of constructors or drivers. It’s an intergenerational brand bridge.
Platform-native storytelling
This partnership isn’t limited to licensing or TV ads. Expect synergistic content across TikTok, Disney+, ESPN, YouTube, and even Roblox or Fortnite. We're entering an age of ambient storytelling, where the narrative lives across screens, toys, race circuits, collectibles, and augmented experiences — designed to be both monetizable and memorable.
Purpose-backed positioning (discussed at length below in a dedicated segment on sustainability)
Both brands have sustainability agendas and both are under pressure to deliver. F1 has committed to net-zero by 2030, with 100% sustainable fuels and efficient logistics. Disney has set targets for zero-carbon electricity and zero waste across operations by 2030, though its emissions-heavy productions have raised valid critiques. This collaboration can serve as a canvas to showcase better practices, from green merchandising to sustainable animation, or low-impact event production tied to races.
Why the future of business is collaborative
This collaboration is more than a case study, it's a strategic archetype.
We are witnessing a shift from competitive differentiation to collaborative differentiation. Brands no longer compete solely on product or price. They compete on story, relevance, and trust, intangibles best built in coalition.
1. Collaboration = infrastructure
Previously, brand partnerships were seen as tactical campaigns, temporary flair to excite a market. Now, they are long-term infrastructure, supporting IP expansion, new audience penetration, product diversification, and ESG innovation. Think of it this way : collaboration is the new distribution.
2. Your IP = Your passport
In an era of digital saturation, IP is the bridge between worlds. It is what allows sports to become fashion, fashion to become entertainment, and entertainment to become lifestyle.
Let’s talk about the collaboration at hand, at the heart of the F1 x Disney alliance is not just fandom or visual flair.
In today’s licensing economy, IP is not a technicality, it is the very foundation that allows global brands to scale, protect, and profit from their uniqueness. This collaboration works because both entities have exceptionally well-defined, strategically managed IP portfolios.
Behind the branding fireworks of the F1 x Disney collaboration lies a far more intricate stage and it would be a travesty if I don’t include a primer on their IP portfolios here. And especially because, a few icons embody IP complexity quite like Mickey Mouse.
With the 1928 version of Mickey (as seen in Steamboat Willie) entering the U.S. public domain on January 1, 2024, the timing of this collaboration couldn’t be more fascinating. While anyone, including F1 could technically use that early, black-and-white depiction of Mickey without infringing Disney’s copyright, the deal likely leans on something far more powerful ie. the tenets of trademark law.
Disney’s modern iterations of Mickey, from the Sorcerer’s Apprentice to the global mascot we know today, remain under copyright. More importantly, Mickey as a brand name, silhouette, and visual language is vigorously protected by trademarks that don’t expire as long as they’re used in commerce. These marks are not only protected against confusion, but also enjoy anti-dilution status as “famous marks,” giving Disney the legal firepower to safeguard its IP across categories and borders.
For the F1 x Disney partnership, this means official licensing is not just preferable, it’s essential. It ensures legal clarity, brand authenticity, and commercial control. Even if the public domain Mickey offers creative freedom, the collaboration’s cultural and financial impact will be anchored in Disney’s modern, trademarked IP portfolio.
But experts will tell you that there’s nuance here.
The Steamboat Willie version could still be strategically leveraged, not as a loophole but as a nostalgic layer. Think limited-edition vintage merch, minimalist animations, or a heritage sub-brand that nods to Mickey’s origins while staying legally distinct. It’s a rare opportunity to juxtapose legacy with innovation, especially when stewarded responsibly within an official partnership.
In many ways, the F1 x Disney deal mirrors Disney’s own duality, a company that both draws from the public domain and fiercely protects its own IP. The collaboration exemplifies the art of navigating this IP spectrum : where copyright meets commerce, and where nostalgia is reimagined through legal precision and brand integrity.
And for practitioners at the intersection of sustainability, law, and cultural strategy, like myself, this isn’t just a fascinating case study. It’s a masterclass in designing collaborations that are not only culturally iconic, but legally future-proof.
Without this clarity, there’s nothing to license. And without licensing, there’s no scalable collaboration. The best way to understand this is that a brand doesn’t license a product, it licenses a system.
That system includes names, logos, colour ways, content styles, narrative themes, and technical standards. These assets must be owned, protected, and contractually controlled before they can be shared. Otherwise, what starts as expansion becomes unintentional open-source dilution.
In the F1 x Disney model, IP allows for :
Clear ownership and usage boundaries, ensuring each party knows where rights start and stop.
Global consistency across merchandise, digital assets, content, and co-branded experiences.
Enforceable standards so that Mickey on the track looks and feels the same whether you’re in Miami or Melbourne or Monaco.
Innovation security, ensuring that new ideas co-developed through this partnership can be monetised and protected jointly or individually, as agreed.
The legal architecture of IP isn’t a back-office formality. It’s the structure that transforms creative ideas into enduring, revenue-generating platforms. Whether it’s a child’s T-shirt, a co-branded mobile game, or a carbon-neutral fan experience, none of it works at scale unless the underlying IP is registered, licensed, and enforceable.
As this partnership grows into immersive circuits, digital collectibles, or animated series, both companies will need airtight IP strategies to :
Align brand storytelling with sustainability mandates, as both companies have their own targets declared
Monitor unauthorised use across global markets and platforms
Secure emerging rights in new formats (e.g., metaverse avatars, AI-generated content)
Govern long-term usage rights even after the initial licensing term ends
And this is where smart collaboration meets smart governance.
For brands looking to replicate this level of impact in fashion, sport, tech, or media the lesson is clear - before you expand, protect. Your IP isn’t just your asset it’s your leverage. And the companies that understand how to license, protect, and evolve their IP across mediums will define this century’s cultural and commercial movements.
3. Entertainment = Universal language
A racetrack can now be a stage. A streaming platform can host sporting drama. A character can be a coach, an activist, a co-pilot. Brands that embrace this fluidity will dominate not because of market share but because of mindshare.
Sustainability, in the spotlight & under the microscope
Here lies the paradox.
As beloved as Disney is, its environmental track record has been uneven. While it touts net-zero targets by 2030, recent analyses show Snow White and The Little Mermaid generated more emissions in the UK than Birmingham and Luton airports. That’s a headline no brand wants.
F1, on the other hand, has taken a far more detailed, transparent, and engineered approach, mapping the carbon footprint of an entire season (256,000 tonnes CO₂e), and breaking it down across logistics, travel, broadcast, and energy use. If you look at F1’s last published Sustainability Strategy, you’ll find that their plan is not just about reduction but innovation : sustainable fuels, net-zero facilities, and even “positive race prints” that benefit local communities.
Given the goals and ambitions of the two companies, I think where they align is in ambition. But where they differ is in operational execution and accountability. This partnership must now do more than dazzle, it must deliver. From climate-positive merchandising to green event design, to new contractual frameworks that enforce sustainable licensing practices, this collaboration could become a sustainability benchmark for the entire media-sports-entertainment ecosystem.
As someone who works at the intersection of sustainability strategy, IP, and law, I see massive untapped value in helping such collaborations. The top areas for me :
Translate vision into regulation-ready frameworks
Ensure ESG targets are contractually embedded in licensing deals
Audit and advise on scope 3 impact through storytelling supply chains
Future-proof IP from both a legal and environmental standpoint
While these are only from my point of view, these are the building blocks of responsible, resilient collaboration. I’m looking forward to see how other subject matter experts in the sustainability realm weigh in on the collaboration from their perspective.
What’s Next?
This is not a one-off. It is the opening act of a broader transformation. The future is not just multi-brand, it’s multi-sphere.
It all began when Luxury x Streetwear (eg: Supreme x Louis Vuitton) broke the fashion mould. Which then gave way to the Wellness x Tech (eg: WHOOP x Hyperice), that are scaling into wearables, sleep tech, and tapping into recovery and longevity. Bringing us to the present, we are seeing Sports x Animation (eg: F1 x Disney), where storytelling, nostalgia, and speed are debuting together on a shared stage.
From my perspective, what matters now is depth over novelty. Brands that co-create must co-care about their impact, their legacy, and the systems they build together. This is why we mentioned the gaps between goals set by these companies individually and the importance treating this collaboration as an instrument of bringing about vital change, by becoming an example unto itself.
Whether it is this one or any other, I would not hesitate in saying that the most successful collaborations of the next decade will be those that do at least these top three things -
Engage legal and policy experts to ensure longevity.
Include sustainability strategists from day one.
Design for culture and climate, not just commerce.
And experts like myself, who help global brands future-proof through innovation, law, and purpose need to step up to the plate and deliver to make these collaborations a success.
Concluding segment
The F1 x Disney collaboration isn't merely another corporate venture it is a profound declaration of intent, a meticulously crafted blueprint for the very architecture of tomorrow's commerce.
This particular collaboration transcends a simple licensing agreement, as it stands as irrefutable proof that in an age of unprecedented interconnectedness, enduring institutions no longer ascend through isolated dominance or the outdated paradigm of siloed sector leadership.
Their true scalable power now emanates from a deliberate, designed convergence, and to orchestrate such a convergence demands far more than fleeting creative brilliance or shrewd commercial instinct. It requires nothing less than systems-level thinking - a profound comprehension of both the intricate regulatory frameworks that underpin global markets and the expansive cultural aspirations that define our shared human experience.
The future of groundbreaking collaboration, then, is not simply a matter of creative synergy, it is fundamentally contractual, demonstrably carbon-accountable, and deeply culturally aware.
The stakes are undeniably higher when you are not merely licensing products, but forging a shared purpose, binding distinct entities in a common vision. Every single asset in such a partnership must be meticulously structured for enduring longevity, designed to withstand the tests of time and transformation.
- This includes the granular accounting of Scope 3 emissions within merchandising supply chains
- The pioneering establishment of AI-driven content rights, and
- The non-negotiable embedding of ESG accountability within every intricate licensing clause.
These are not peripheral considerations to be addressed at leisure, they are, in fact, strategic imperatives, foundational pillars upon which the integrity and success of the entire enterprise rests.
As these partnerships expand, traversing circuits, captivating screens, and bridging continents, they will increasingly demand cross-disciplinary stewardship.
What this collaboration truly exemplifies, therefore, is nothing less than a fundamental paradigm shift, from the fleeting nature of ad hoc alliances to the enduring strength of durable, integrated ecosystems.
This is far more profound than simply licensing a beloved animated character or promoting a thrilling motor sport, it is about the global scaling of trust across new consumer landscapes and the evolving expectations of stakeholders who, today, refuse to compartmentalise play from principle.
As seen above, young audiences in particular, demand immersive, ethically sound, and interoperable experiences. They seek not just compelling content, but continuity, not just grand promises, but tangible proof.
From the intricacies of carbon compliance to the expansive reach of co-branded media, every outcome is immeasurably stronger when it is forged in a coalition. For global brands navigating this complex landscape, the call to action is unequivocally clear - collaboration is not a risk to be avoided, it is in fact, your ultimate runway to unparalleled expansion.
But this truth holds only when such endeavours are led with surgical precision, built upon unyielding rigor, and guided by those who possess the profound ability to survey the entire chessboard, encompassing law, culture, innovation, and sustainability, and strategically move accordingly.
Because in this new paradigm, true strategy is no longer about choosing sides, it is about ingeniously designing systems where, ultimately, every side wins.