Heineken has signed an agreement with Formula One Management (FOM) to become a Global Partner of Formula 1 (F1). The partnership will start this year at the newly renamed Formula 1 Gran Premio Heineken d’Italia 2016, in Monza, and will run for a multi-year term.
From the 2017 F1 season onwards, Heineken will be the F1 Event Title Partner of three Formula 1 Grands Prix (GP). It will also have a presence at several other F1 Events chosen by Heineken and Formula One Management. The brand will be the exclusive Global Beer Partner of Formula 1 and will also have pouring, activation and access rights across the majority of F1 Events in the FIA Formula One World Championship.
Heineken will create a fully integrated global F1 ‘Open your World’ manifesto and ‘If You Drive, Never Drink’ campaigns. Activations will include F1 circuit branding, TV commercials, digital activations, live fan experiences and events, dedicated PR initiatives, and packaging and point-of-sale activations. David Coulthard and Sir Jackie Stewart will be ambassadors for the respective campaigns.
A responsibility message, ‘If You Drive, Never Drink’, will form a central part of the partnership and will build on Heineken’s longstanding commitment to responsible consumption campaigns, including ‘Moderate Drinkers Wanted’ and ‘Dance More Drink Slow’.
Global Heineken Brand Senior Director Gianluca Di Tondo said: “Formula One is bigger than a race, it is a global event. F1 represents a unique opportunity for Heineken to engage with existing and potential consumers in important growth markets. F1 delivers in three specific areas; strong commercial opportunities; expansion of our responsible drinking platform in new and innovative ways; and enabling skill transfers between F1 and our employees.
“This partnership complements our existing global platforms, enabling us to reach F1’s huge spectator numbers and 400 million unique television viewers every year. The hallmark of our long and successful relationships with UEFA Champions League, Rugby World Cup and the James Bond franchise is our passion to excite our consumers. We will be bringing this passion to Formula One.”
Formula One Group CEO Bernie Ecclestone commented: “Heineken is a premium international brand with a super reputation for first class marketing. I am very pleased to welcome them to the Formula One family and look forward to the scale and quality of their activation at and away from F1 Events. We are both in the innovation and enjoyment business and I hope that this is the start of a long and special relationship. When I have a beer, I have always been happy with a Heineken.”
Ecclestone added: “Some time ago I started a ‘Think Before You Drive’ campaign at F1 Events. I am pleased that this important initiative now has such strong and committed support from Heineken, through its ‘If You Drive, Never Drink’ campaign. We will now evolve and reinforce these messages in a way that reflects the Heineken personality and values.”
