FIRST EVER BEER SPONSOR FOR OLYMPIC GAMES

For the next three Olympic and Paralympic Games beer will be the main sponsor, albeit a non-alcoholic version.

This was announced by the brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev, brewer of other international beers like Budweiser, Stella Artois and Corona.

The non-alcoholic Corona Cero beer will be advertised during the Games to show the brewer’s and International Olympic Committee’s “commitment to responsible consumption” to the “billions of Olympic fans around the world with the messages of connection, moderation and celebration”.

Although no figures were mentioned, the sponsorship includes the 2026 Summer Games in Paris, the 2026 Winter Games in Milan and the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.

CNN reports that Corona Cero, launched in 2022, isn’t sold everywhere in the world, since AB InBev handles international distribution and sales of Mexican lagers across Europe.

Although local organisers allowed it, this is the first time that the Olympics have allowed a global beer sponsorship.

The 2020 Summer Games which took place in 2021 in Tokyo due to the COVID-19 pandemic, had a local beer sponsor called Asahi Breweries.

AB InBev’s chief marketing officer, Marcel Marcondes, told CNN that they “see all the trends towards non-alcoholic propositions coming from consumers, and also (they) know that beer is usually the beverage of choice for sports fans”.

Corona Cero is set to launch in South Africa in June.

Image credit: Scottish Licensed Trade News