JAKARTA – The Jakarta Formula E performance at the Jakarta International E-Prix Circuit (JIEC) Ancol on June 4, 2022, has many issues. One of them is the controversy about the sponsorship of alcoholic beverages. Alcohol and motor vehicles are actually an odd combination, but strangely they can be up and running for a long time.
Formula E has partnered with a Dutch beer company, Heineken, to become the global sponsor of the electric-powered formula car racing. The company started a collaboration with the Formula E Organization (FEO) in the 2018-2019 racing season. FEO and Heineken signed a global sponsorship contract, which is valid for five years. There is no mention of Heineken's value as a global sponsor of Formula E.
“The most important thing that attracted us to Formula E is because this race is held in the center of the city, and Heineken is already known in cities around the world. It was a fantastic way for us to reach new consumers and activate the platform that made us the most recognized brand worldwide,” said Gianluca Di Tondo, Senior Director of Heineken Global as quoted by Motorsport.com, October 15, 2018.
"For us, Formula E is also an attractive medium to target a new target audience from the millennial generation and GenZ, or the age group that comes after the millennium," said Di Tondo again.
Heineken himself has plunged into the world of automotive racing since 2016 by becoming a global sponsor of the most expensive car racing in the world, Formula One. They carry the campaign jargon: When You Drive Never Drink, which is always displayed in every Formula E event.
"We are not ready to mention the amount of assets and investments spent on Formula E, because this is a new thing," said Di Tondo about the budget issued by Heineken as a sponsor of Formula E.
Alcohol Sponsor DisclaimerIn the 2022 Formula E Jakarta event, the presence of sponsors in the form of alcoholic beverages is opposed by many parties. For example, the 212 Alumni Brotherhood (PA 212), this hard-line group supporting Anies Baswedan, even threatened to leave the DKI Jakarta Governor if he continued to allow alcoholic beverages to become a Formula E sponsor.
“I request that Anies cancel cooperation with all liquor brands. Otherwise, this is tantamount to an unjust regime because it likes immorality and evil. Don't blame Muslims, especially the spirit of 212 will leave Anies Baswedan," Novel Bamukmin, Wasekjen PA 212 told reporters, Friday, May 27.
"The implementation of Formula E is actually good, but don't justify any means. Keep in mind, Anies Baswedan is the choice of Muslims with the spirit of defending religion, so the feelings of Muslims must be guarded. Don't hurt the hearts of Muslims who have chosen him," Novel added.
The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) also issued a statement rejecting alcoholic beverages as sponsors of Formula E Jakarta 2022. Through the Head of the Fatwa Division, Asrorun Ni'am Sholeh, MUI appealed to alcoholic beverage companies not to be involved as sponsors of Formula E Jakarta 2022.
"Liquor is the mother of evil. That's why we are asked to stay away, then not to go near, including in the interest of sponsors, especially for sporting events. How is it possible that sports that teach and promote health are then supported by products that are against the spirit of health?" Asrorun Ni'am, who is also Deputy II for Youth Development at the Ministry of Youth and Sports (Kemenpora), told reporters on May 31.
The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) faction of the DKI Jakarta DPRD also did not approve of the presence of liquor companies as sponsors of Formula E 2022 Jakarta.
"For the Jakarta E Prix, the organizers in Jakarta (Pemda and Jakpro) asked not to include Heineken as a sponsor in Jakarta. According to Mr. Gunung, FEO can understand and agree to it," said Taufik Zoelkifli, a member of Commission B of the DKI Jakarta DPRD from the PKS faction.
The opposition to sponsorship from alcoholic beverage companies has forced the Chairman of the Jakarta Formula E Organizing Committee, Ahmad Sahroni, to respond carefully.
“It should be emphasized that there will be no beer sales and beer company logos at the Jakarta E-Prix. It should also be noted that Heineken is a global sponsor of FEO, which is present in all Formula E race series in various cities, including Diriyah, Saudi Arabia," said Sahroni, a Nasdem Party politician who is also Deputy Chairman of Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives.
Sahroni added, although the beer company Heineken is a global sponsor, they and the FOE are committed to adapting to the conditions in each country.
Responding to strong rejections from several elements of the community, Heineken said that he did not have a problem with this condition. Through PT Multi Bintang Indonesia as a subsidiary of Heineken in this country, they are planning their own way to keep promoting in the Formula E Jakarta event.
"We don't see it in terms of restrictions. So look at ourselves, promote our brand responsibly. This means that only people who are 21 years old plus and also see the local context itself," said Jessica Setiawan, Marketing Director of Multi Bintang Indonesia.
Heineken plans to hold an event to watch together (nobar) Formula E Jakarta at Mall ASHTA District 8 on Jl. Senopati, Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta.
The Right Target AudienceActually, it's easy if you want to find out why the relationship between alcoholic beverage products and automotive sports can last forever. Alcoholic beverages are always served at every social gathering, luncheon, and get-together in car or motorcycle racing events.
The world-class automotive racing event is a prestigious and prestigious event, thus making the world's top companies, including alcoholic beverage manufacturers, do not hesitate to support because they know very well the class of people who come.
Heineken is not the only alcoholic beverage product that uses automotive racing as a promotional medium. Scottish whiskey producer, Johnnie Walker was once attached to the McLaren F1 racing team. The F1 Force India racing team which is now Racing Point has also been sponsored by Kingfisher beer and Whyte & Mackay Whiskey. The legendary British F1 racing team, Williams is also known to be attached to Italian wine products, Martini.
Then in the United States Nascar race, alcoholic beverage brands were scattered as sponsors. There's Miller Beer, Jack Daniels Whiskey, Budweiser Beer, Jim Beam Whiskey, Coors Beer, and many more.
In motorcycle racing, alcoholic beverages have also long been a sponsor in MotoGP. There is Aperol and Campari from Italy, Singha Beer from Thailand, and what is currently still flying is Spanish beer, Estrella Galicia.
The ban on tobacco products to advertise openly in 2006, including in automotive racing events, has also become a driving factor for alcoholic beverages to become sponsors.
In 2014 there were rumors that alcoholic beverage products would be banned from sponsoring automotive racing events. But until now, that rumor never happened. It even expanded with the presence of Heineken, which initially focused more on promotions in the football and rugby branches.
“Auto sports is a promotional platform that offers a golden opportunity for a company to communicate with a young, productive, issue-sensitive, and highly purchasing power audience,” wrote Ricardo Tafa, former agent of Brazilian F1 driver Nelson Piquet in an article on RTR Sports. Marketing.
Although it may seem strange at first, the alcoholic beverage companies involved in automotive sports have cleverly carried out the campaign message "no drunk driving". They are required to be responsible for the products sold and consumed by the public, by providing proper education.
The problem of sponsoring alcoholic beverages in automotive racing events will indeed continue to be controversial, because different countries have different rules in it. Russia, known for its vodka, imposed a ban on advertising alcoholic beverages in 2012. Also France and Norway have similar laws.
So if alcoholic beverage products are also prohibited from appearing in the Jakarta 2022 Formula E event later, that is actually a normal thing because we do have a ban. However, due to the intense political friction in Jakarta, the issue of prohibiting sponsorship of alcoholic beverages has become a special issue.
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