The UEFA European Championship 2016, or 2016 Uefa Euro, captivated audiences worldwide, drawing in billions of viewers across its matches. While fans tuned in for the thrill of football, a less obvious game was being played off the field, particularly concerning advertising regulations. This was highlighted during the tournament held in France, a nation with strict laws against alcohol advertising, known as the Loi Evin. A recent study has shed light on how one major beer brand, Carlsberg, seemingly navigated these restrictions to achieve significant brand exposure throughout the 2016 UEFA Euro tournament.
Despite the Loi Evin’s national prohibition of television advertising for alcoholic beverages in France, the research reveals that Carlsberg strategically utilized what are termed “alibi marketing” tactics. Over the course of the final seven games of the 2016 UEFA Euro, Carlsberg’s branding appeared for over 70 minutes, encompassing 746 separate instances. This apparent promotion cleverly employed two key phrases: ‘Probably’ and ‘… the best in the world’. These phrases, while seemingly innocuous, are strongly associated with Carlsberg’s long-standing marketing campaigns.
This extensive television presence during the high-profile 2016 UEFA Euro matches translated into a massive advertising impact. Estimates suggest between 92.3 million and a staggering 2.1 billion impressions potentially exposed the adult population to alcohol-related content. Alarmingly, children were not excluded from this reach. It is estimated that between 6.9 and 163.3 million alcohol impressions were delivered to children aged 4 to 17 years old during these games. The distribution of these impressions varied across the matches, but the overall scale of exposure is undeniable.
These figures reinforce earlier findings that highlighted significant logo exposure during the final match of the tournament. The new data confirms that this level of exposure extended throughout the knockout stages and, by extension, likely occurred during the group stage matches of the 2016 UEFA Euro as well.
The anticipated global viewership for the 2016 UEFA Euro was exceptionally high, with an expected 150 million spectators tuning in live for each game across 230 territories. While precise demographic data for the 2016 UEFA Euro audience isn’t publicly available, extrapolating from UK audience profiles provides concerning insights. If the international audience mirrored the UK’s demographic breakdown, an estimated 12.9 million children were potentially exposed to Carlsberg branding. In the UK alone, an average of 829,000 children were exposed to Carlsberg’s alibi branding per game. If French TV viewing patterns align with those of the Brazil World Cup, this translates to an average of 387,000 children exposed per game within France. This exposure occurred despite the Loi Evin’s explicit aim to protect minors from targeted advertising of alcohol.
Interestingly, a notable exception was observed in the France versus Iceland match, which showed significantly lower alibi content compared to other games analyzed. This anomaly might be attributed to Iceland’s own stringent alcohol advertising laws. Iceland’s “Afengislog” (Law on Alcohol) unequivocally bans “all advertising and marketing” of alcohol, including a specific prohibition on television advertising of alcohol brands. This suggests that advertising during the France-Iceland match may have been moderated to align with Icelandic legal requirements, indicating the potential influence of national regulations on international sporting event broadcasts.
Carlsberg’s deep-rooted connection with football extends back to at least 1988, sponsoring numerous football clubs and tournaments, including eight European championship finals prior to 2016. In 2016, Carlsberg anticipated a largely stagnant Western European beer market, except for “some positive impact during the early summer from UEFA EURO 2016™.” The sponsorship of the 2016 UEFA Euro was a key component of Carlsberg’s marketing strategy, considered “an important event for the brand.” Football sponsorship is integral to Carlsberg’s commercial activities, described by the company as “a great fit,” “part of Carlsberg’s DNA,” and “a key pillar of the Carlsberg brand.”
Carlsberg’s iconic logos, rooted in a 1904 design, are instantly recognizable. However, their marketing strategy expands beyond traditional logos to include phrases that maintain a similar font and visual style. The phrase ‘Carlsberg – probably the best lager in the world’ was trademarked in Europe in 2000, solidifying ‘Probably’ and ‘… the best …. in the world’ as brand identifiers, or “alibis.” The word ‘Probably’ itself was also registered as a European trademark in 2010. This slogan is considered a powerful brand equity carrier, reminding consumers of their positive associations with the brand upon repeated exposure. In the competitive beer market, even subtle product differences necessitate strong communication strategies, making slogans like Carlsberg’s crucial for brand perception and market advantage.
Prior instances of alibi marketing include Philip Morris International’s use of ‘barcode’ designs in Formula One racing to circumvent tobacco advertising bans. While these ‘barcode’ alibis were eventually withdrawn, the Carlsberg case during the 2016 UEFA Euro presents a potentially more impactful example. Carlsberg utilized registered trademarks – “Probably” and “The best beer in the world” (shortened to “…the best in the world”) – to seemingly overcome the Loi Evin. This strategy was lauded as “very creative,” effectively using a slogan associated with the brand since 1973. Carlsberg was even described as one of the “big winners of Euro 2016 with Probably,” with suggestions that these “marques alibis” successfully circumvented the Loi Evin while subtly reinforcing the link between the alibi trademark and the main Carlsberg brand in consumers’ minds. Indeed, it’s been estimated that Carlsberg achieved a 50% prompted recall using its ‘Probably’ slogan as an ‘alibi brand’ on stadium LED boards throughout the 2016 UEFA Euro.
Despite being considered among Europe’s strictest alcohol advertising laws, the French Loi Evin has faced criticism as controversial and ineffective. Even its creator, Claude Evin, has voiced concerns about its enforcement. The Loi Evin has been consistently challenged, particularly by the alcohol industry, leading to modifications perceived as favorable to certain sectors. This highlights the ongoing tension between public health objectives and industry lobbying, a challenge for future lawmakers aiming to strengthen alcohol advertising regulations.
The French Public Health Code, in Section L3323–3, specifically prohibits advertising that, “by its design, use of a name, trademark, advertising emblem or other distinctive sign, recalls an alcoholic beverage,” even when promoting non-alcoholic products. The study argues that Carlsberg’s “Probably” message, being a registered trademark and distinctive sign, contravened this code. While some restrictions of the Loi Evin have been eased since 1991, the television advertising ban for major events remains. This research suggests a potential breach of the Loi Evin during the 2016 UEFA Euro. Despite these observations, Carlsberg reportedly defended its marketing actions, stating adherence to “strict marketing standards” and legal requirements. The study authors suggest re-imposing a ban on alcohol advertising in all sports grounds to address such circumvention strategies.
It’s important to acknowledge the limitations of this study. It didn’t measure the direct impact of this advertising exposure on alcohol consumption. Calculations assumed constant viewership throughout broadcasts. The study focused only on the final seven games and television broadcasts, excluding earlier tournament stages and in-broadcast advertisements. Future research could explore advertising exposure within football stadiums to provide a more comprehensive picture.
The findings underscore the potential impact of national regulations like Iceland’s “Afengislog” in mitigating minors’ exposure to alcohol advertising during major sporting events like the 2016 UEFA Euro. Other nations could draw lessons from Iceland’s approach when drafting legislation to prevent similar circumvention strategies. Furthermore, lawmakers should be vigilant about “alibi marketing” extending to low or alcohol-free products that leverage the branding of full-alcohol counterparts. Similarly, “responsible drinking” campaigns that incorporate alcohol product trademarks can also serve as subtle forms of advertising, potentially blurring the lines for consumers, especially young audiences. As exemplified by criticism of Heineken’s Formula 1 sponsorship and its “When You Drive, Never Drink” campaign, the potential for mixed messaging and unintended consequences requires careful consideration in future legislation aimed at protecting minors and promoting public health.
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