McLaren F1 team promotes new British American Tobacco products in virtual races

VELO, the leading nicotine pouch brand owned by British American Tobacco (BAT), launches VELO ESERIES, a Formula 1 e-sports racing series in partnership with McLaren Racing[1]. A new opportunity for the tobacco manufacturer to directly promote its new product line and use its partnership to attract new consumers.

THE F1 Esports Series[2] are an annual virtual F1 racing competition, organized by the Formula One Management And Liberty Media since 2017. The competition is open to players from all over the world and almost all the teams of Formula 1 have been officially involved in the F1 Esports Series since 2018.

The VELO ESERIES program, scheduled to launch on January 9, 2021, will be hosted by celebrities, singers or influencers recognized on social networks. This event is part of BAT's strategy to increase awareness of the VELO brand among a relatively young audience: fans of motorsport, music and entertainment. In addition to the opportunity to race against celebrities, VELO customers will be offered rewards (game consoles, racing suits with the brand affixed).

The Long History of Motorsports and the Tobacco Industry

In the 1970s and 1980s, sponsorship in motorsport was used to promote the image of tobacco brands with tobacco company logos on cars, motorcycles, team uniforms, trackside advertising, and associated promotional items. The aim was primarily to increase the visibility of these brands through television coverage at races and in broadcasts around them. When restrictions on such advertising were introduced in some countries in the 1990s and early 2000s[3], tobacco companies have begun to deploy strategies to circumvent these rules.[4].

Starting in 2018, some tobacco companies have taken a new approach to motorsport sponsorship: using their association with Formula 1 (F1) and Grand Prix (MotoGP) racing teams to engage in corporate marketing and display their commitment to reducing the health risks associated with their products.[5].

BAT extends Formula 1 sponsorship to push new products

In early 2019, McLaren announced a new sponsorship deal with BAT, launched as the A Better Tomorrow campaign, as part of BAT’s Transforming Tobacco initiative. The initiative promotes the company’s suite of new products, which BAT and McLaren describe as “potentially reduced-risk products.” Behind the catchy terms of corporate social responsibility (CSR), collaboration, dedication to science and technological innovation, the tobacco company’s goal is to promote its tobacco and nicotine products.

So in June 2020, when live F1 races were suspended due to the coronavirus, McLaren's website had already organised a video game competition to promote BAT's VELO brand products and promoted the event on social media. Participants took part in virtual races, with the final race being broadcast on McLaren's YouTube channel (500,000 subscribers) where participants could race against members of the McLaren team. After the race, the winners were featured on VELO's Instagram account.

Keywords: BAT, New Products, VELO, F1, McLaren

Photo credit: VELO official Instagram account

©Tobacco Free Generation

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[1] VELO launches e-sports racing series in partnership with McLaren Racing, PR Newswire, January 6, 2021, accessed January 8, 2021 [2] Wikipedia page "F1 Esports Series", accessed January 8, 2021 [3] CNCT, Page: Tobacco in sport [4] Motorsport Sponsorship, Tobacco Tactics - University of Bath, last updated 20 December 2020, accessed 8 January 2021 [5] CNCT, Formula 1 continues to accept funding from the tobacco industry, August 10, 2020, accessed January 8, 2021 National Committee Against Smoking |