Heineken and Publicis confront gender bias in football, with Thierry Henri, Alex Scott – and beer

Even in 2022, issues around gender still spark endless controversy, but this hasn’t deterred Heineken from stepping up to make gender bias the central tenet of its UEFA football sponsorship activity, both on and off the pitch.

The latest instalment in Publicis Italy’s “Cheers to all fans” campaign adds the line, “Men included,” to challenge the gender stereotypes around football fandom.

Heineken has also got the ubiquitous former footballer Alex Scott on board as its first female football ambassador, pitting her against the ever-popular Thierry Henry to promote equality in sport.

Heineken is committed to intercepting online searches and buying key words around popular football questions in a bid to correct the current gender bias and allow women’s achievements to be celebrated. There’s also a new Fresher Football web page, which includes key data from the women’s game, as well as the men’s game, in answer to the most popular questions about the Champions League.

Bram Westenbrink, global head of the Heineken brand, said: “Heineken is a brand for the fans and we’ve always been passionate about bringing people together to celebrate the things they love. Now, on our journey to improve inclusivity in football through our sponsorships, we’re committed to ensuring the sport is a safe and welcoming space for everyone.”

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