FRANCE FAMOUS FOR THE OLYMPICS, WHAT ABOUT THEIR BEER?

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I love the Olympics.? It must stop.? I need to sleep.??

The Paris program has meant very late nights and early mornings.??

Yes the sport is captivating with all those Best-Of humans running, jumping, throwing, flexing ,dancing and diving.??

Plus the French are just amazing hosts and no different to the Tour De France, are showing off Paris in French Style.

Have you noticed there is no alcohol advertising?

There is none, no TV commercials, billboards or alcohol brand sponsorships - including F1 and Champions League.? It's because of their legislation called?Evin law.??This is unique to France in Europe

I'm sure also one of the reasons Heineken did not renew their sponsorship of the Rugby World Cup in France, as very difficult to leverage the sponsorship -? Even at the Olympics apart from the corporate boxes you can't get a beer in the stadium.?

When I was running the craft and variety program for Heineken a few years back the whole success of the European program depended on winning in France.? We all know the French have a rich wine heritage, they also love their beer - especially craft and specialty.? There is a huge range of Belgian ales, and speciality beers (often very high alc %) - In France beers like Leffe and Affligem (Abbey beers) are bigger than the entire NZ beer market!?

We had the Californian Craft brand lagunitas to grow across 40 international markets and our first market for launch was France.?

Evin law meant a?very fair playing field.? The big beer companies have to grow the old fashioned way - with distribution in bars and retail.? The quality of the beer doing most of the talking and the bar staff and drinker recommendation the decider.??

The most important members of the lagunitas launch team were a group of 'lagunators' that bar by bar, event after event would turn up and share a beer.? Lagunitas in France is bigger than the whole Speights brand in NZ.

Product development in France is even more important because there is no advertising.? During my time the biggest growth opportunity was in non-alc - we launched Affligem 0.0 and lagunitas 0.5, within the wider Heineken group 0.0 portfolio.? They continue to be a huge success.

It was obvious to me from my time working with the Heineken France team that zero was the future of beer.??

I was on a panel discussion at the 2018? Brewers in Europe conference - representing Heineken I and was asked my opinion on the future of craft and variety -? I'm sure most would of thought I was going to talk about New World Styles, IPAs and Dry Hopping.? What I actually said was that the evolution?would be moderation.??

Attacked from?both ends?- The experienced beer drinker having an alcohol?re-think, and the younger consumer?not even thinking about alcohol at all.??

The discussion got quite heated that day with the moderator who thought traditional beer would continue unchanged. Zero beer was not the topic the Brewers of Europe delegats wanted to hear or believe. different to the brewers of New Zealand a few years back.

The moderation movement across Europe, UK and the US follows the same growth patterns.

Generally it all kicks off with Heineken 0.0 - An amazing brand offering every drinker a choice, then each competitor brand follows to hold market share, and in each adjacent style as the technology allows, zeros are added to the shelf.

Different to other style innovation the craft scene is late to the party with non-alc beer because of the need to either remove the alcohol by an expensive vacuum distillation process or natural brewing requiring expensive pasteurisation.? But sure enough independent craft finds a way and it grows into a significant premium driver - just like here in New Zealand.

And quickly in France the share of total beer for zeros grows past 8%!? just like it will eventually in New Zealand (currently 3%)

I feel lucky to have enjoyed all these amazing zeros in Europe, and to have enjoyed grass roots product marketing because of Evin Law.?

We talk a lot here in NZ about the alcohol advertising pros and cons.? Basic economic forces have reduced alcohol advertising and sponsorships over the years - back in the early 2000s DB and Lion fought to get on every rugby jersey, horse-racing finish line, and the All Bracks would bathe in Steinlager.? Even now it is still too much.? Do we have the balls to say enough is enough, like the French did with Evin law?? In my experience as a beer marketeer the french way was the best approach.

It was still a few years after this time talking moderation on the stage that I decided against the booze and for tasty zeros full time.???

It would be great one day to enjoy a State of Play in this glorious glass on the Champs Elysees.

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