New campaigns from Formula One (F1) series sponsor Heineken and the activation of recent team sponsorships by Peroni and Estrella demonstrate that no- and low-alcohol beer marketers continue to see sport in general and motor racing in particular as ideal promotional platforms.
The new F1 season has already seen Heineken champion its 0.0 brand through a new campaign called ‘Sounds Of Good Times With F1’ leveraging its rights at the 2024 Rolex Australian Grand Prix. While ahead of the season’s first race Peroni activated its new Scuderia Ferrari sponsorship to target the Tifosi with a bespoke bottle initiative and ‘The Break In’ campaign for its Nastro Azzurro 0.0% brand. Plus Spanish independent brewer Estrella Galicia (which also activates in MotoGP) has returned to partner with McLaren F1 to promote its 0.0 beer in a deal that sees the brand emblazoned across the car, the drivers’ overall and team kit, as well as rolling out work such as ‘We’re Back’.
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
These deals and campaigns have brought the subject alcohol (or, in this case, no alcohol) sponsorships in motor racing in general and in F1 in particular to the front of the grid.
Initially it might seem to some that combining fast driving and beer brands is an ill-fitting marketing tactic: both from the general perspective that perhaps beer and elite sport aren’t the best match, as well as from the drink-driving problem.
But it seems an increasing number of marketers are now following in the footsteps of Diageo brand Johnnie Walker’s 2008, F1 champion Mika Häkkinen fronted ‘Join The Pact’ project (which led to 20m consumer pledges to never drive while under the influence of alcohol) and Heineken’s more recent lead: after all, the Dutch brewing giant has heavily activated its blended global and race-specific F1 sponsorships since 2016 and its most recent $250m, five-year extension suggests it believes in the success of its core ‘When You Drive, Never Drink’ series marketing platform.
Heineken’s recent F1 marketing heritage boasts notable no-, low-alcohol and responsible drinking campaigns such as 2023’s ‘Best Driver’ anti drink driving initiative and ‘Player 0.0’ gaming project, plus 2022’s ‘The Night Is Full Of Great Drivers’, 2021’s ‘Dutch GP Trophy’ made from recycled bottles, 2021’s ‘Pit Wall Bar’ immersive home race experience, 2020’s Italian GP musical ‘Socialize Responsibly’ campaign, and British GP ‘NHS Workers Drive-In’ race experience, as well as 2020’s ‘Father and Son’ responsible drinking project, 2018’s ambient, on-track ‘Grid Waiters‘ stunt, the David Coulthard fronted ‘Perfect Man‘, Nico Rosberg’s ‘No Compromises‘ and even 2016’s Jackie Stewart Led ‘ When You Are A Driver, Never Drink‘….to name but a few.
Despite facing the challenge of a complex jigsaw of race host country marketing restrictions and cultural attitudes around alcohol – from total bans in the Middle East to more nuanced restrictions in European markets such as The Netherlands – more marketers see F1 as a platform for global responsible drinking initiatives, for new product trialing and building awareness and acceptance.
Plus, with the recent rise of F1’s reach in younger adult demographic groups (51% of F1 fans are now under 34) through initiatives like Netflix’ ‘Drive To Survive’ and links to virtual racing and gaming, the series also offers engagement opportunities with younger audiences whose consumption habits increasingly lean towards low- and no-alcohol options.
A recent CSM Global Fan Survey even showed F1 as the second-most popular global sport amongst non-alcoholic beer drinkers. While the series’ fanbase also over-indexes on owning/using personal healthcare tech, health food consumption and supplement use. Plus they are more likely to be early adopters.
Of course, in the past beer brands have had a long established relationship with F1 through companies such as Fosters, Kingfisher, and Michelob, Singha and Warsteiner. But the contemporary landscape now looks quite different with its no-alcohol, responsible drinking focus.
And it’s not just beer either.
Leading driver and multiple World Champion Lewis Hamilton recently teamed up with non-alcoholic tequila Almave, while youth-focused, challenger/rebel sparkling water brand Liquid Death activated around the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix as its Official Event Partner.
View this post on Instagram
@f1lasvegas Keeping the good times flowing with @Liquid Death 💦 #LasVegasGP #F1 ♬ original sound – F1 Las Vegas
F1 marketing has certainly come a long way since it was dominated by cigarette advertising.