Category: Cocktail

how sponsorship has become less about selling drinks and more about geopolitics

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The Fifa men’s World Cup 2022 in Qatar is arguably the most political in history.

Even during the seemingly innocent performance of South Korean pop star Jung Kook at the tournament’s opening ceremony, geopolitics were center stage. For Kook, 25, is not just a good looking young man with a global fan base and a multi-million dollar fortune. In addition, he has a lucrative endorsement deal with the South Korean car maker Hyundai-Kia, which also happens to be a major Fifa sponsor.

This kind of relationship is neither an accident nor a simple business arrangement. For years, the South Korean government has been pursuing a strategy aimed at building and projecting “soft power”, developing its engagement with target audiences around the world. This has happened not just through football, music and cars, but also through Oscar winning films like Parasite and the massively popular TV series Squid Games.

And it’s not just South Korea taking advantage of the audiences that Fifa can provide. For while sellers of soft drinks and burgers are still part of the sponsorship roster, Fifa’s key partners are increasingly big corporations from countries keen to benefit from the global reach of football.

State-owned Qatar Airways for example, is busy selling plane tickets as Fifa’s official airline partner, but also plays a pivotal role in attempts by the Qatari government to establish Hamad International Airport as a major hub of global travel.

The award winning airline is an effective instrument of soft power, transmitting signals to global audiences about what Qatar is and what it aspires to be. In turn, the airline, and the very act of hosting the 2022 World Cup, are both illustrations of a nation intent on telling the world a particular story about itself – that it is a legitimate, trustworthy and important member of the international community.

The same applies to China, even though sporting and industrial progress has stalled somewhat since the pandemic. Its roster of four key World Cup sponsors featuring electronics (Hisense), mobile phones (Vivo), dairy products (Mengiu) and everything from property to media (Wanda) remains significant for a country hopeful of one day staging the tournament itself and a government keen to spread China’s influence around the world.

Rebels with a cause

Alongside the World Cup’s main sponsors, a tradition has emerged of business competitors during the tournament engaging in “ambush” marketing. This involves brands using the mega-event as a marketing tool without the considerable expense of an official link (Fifa is reportedly charging around US$100 million (£82 million) for a four-year sponsorship deal).

One notably successful ambush was perpetrated by Bavaria Beer’s provocative campaigns at the 2006 World Cup in Germany and again in 2010 in South Africa. These stunts involved equipping spectators with branded clothing, which was smuggled into stadiums. This gained huge global attention which was no doubt frustrating for the tournaments’ “official” beer, Budweiser.

Football supporters wearing orange T-shirts.
Brightly colored ambush in 2010.
EPA/STR

Yet even ambush marketing now appears to have become geopoliticised. For example, during this World Cup, the authorities in nearby Dubai have been trying to draw attention away from Qatar with a tourism campaign featuring international football stars. The rival emirate will also be staging its own football tournament at the same time as the World Cup, featuring the likes of Liverpool, AC Milan and Arsenal.

And while in 2010, Bavaria Beer used women wearing orange dresses in its ambush, the UK-based brewer and pub chain BrewDog is trying to get in on this year’s action with its strident anti-World Cup marketing campaign.

Through a series of provocative billboards (in the UK), BrewDog is using references to autocracy, human rights abuses and corruption, all targeted at beer drinkers perturbed about Qatar’s staging of football’s biggest global event. While the bottom-line remains the same for BrewDog – to make a profit by selling beer – it is nonetheless contributing to the transformation of advertising and sponsorship from simple marketing to geopolitical posture.

In a similar way, apparel brand Hummel has decided to hide its name and logos and the Danish football association’s badge from its kit. This is in protest against the treatment of migrant workers in Qatar and in support of the LGBTQ+ community.


Read more: World Cup 2022: Qatar’s frantic countdown to a football tournament full of controversy

In the company’s mission statement, Hummel emphasizes its commitment to “Danishness” – and indeed, Denmark has been highly vocal in its condemnation of Qatar. Whenever the national team takes to the field, it will be in shirts that directly challenge the World Cup hosts.

So Qatar’s expensive ambitions in staging this tournament have come up against criticism and protests from countries and corporations alike. In 2022 it seems that football sponsorship is no longer just for kicks, or even customers. Everywhere you look, there are

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Study Proves That Drinking Alcohol Is The Best Way To Deal With Your Annoying Family This Christmas

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stress. anxiety. Money down the drain… Christmas time is supposed to be fun, but it can actually be quite the headache.

And let’s be honest, family can make it much harder… oh yes, Christmas time, and dealing with families.

A 2017 study pointed out that alcohol was indeed the favorite way to deal with your family (or your in-laws), during the holidays. In a 1,000-person survey consisting of 43% women and 57% men, the study found that a whopping 49% of respondents felt their family was more tolerable after the consumption of alcohol.

So, let’s take it a step further and examine how to actually use booze to offset the stressful “family time.”

After all, most of us aren’t living the classic Hallmark film this time of year.

Here’s your game plan this Christmas:

Prepare your body to drink early.

You want to be in the best shape possible going into Christmas Eve and Christmas. You need to be in optimal form to handle the most amount of alcohol possible, while remaining functional.

Road sodas.

Assuming you’re taking a train, or flight, or in the backseat of a car you’re going to want to have road sodas. Road sodas AKA alcohol on the trip there. Maybe some shitty wine in a carton – love those, or a beer, or a few swigs of the whiskey you planned on bringing as a gift for yourself.

If you’re on a plane, just start ripping through those Wild Turkey 101s like they’re about to stop making whiskey forever.

Take the extra drink.

Let your smarter self take a break this time. You’re feeling a little too buzzed around the kitchen table? Screw it. It’s Christmas, have another drink and try to smile.

Walk out on conversations.

When shit gets awkward, or contentious, just smile or act like you just realized something and leave the room. Find a TV or speakers with music and have a drink alone in the corner.

Suggest opening more wine.

Just keep drinking wine. Everybody gets sleepy eventually and will stop talking.

Suggest trying that new whiskey.

Just go for the “way too drunk around family” drunk at this point.

Suggest a family shot (drink shot, not photo shot).

Get everyone involved and happy.

Play a one-person game with yourself where you take a drink every time someone brings up politics.

This is inevitable. Politics. Try to combat getting annoyed with political bullshit by drinking yourself blind and thoughtless on the subject matter.

Merry Christmas!

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What Eggnog Is the Best?

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Whether you’re for or vehemently against eggnog, a product that easily wins the title of “Most Polarizing Beverage” of the holiday season, there’s no denying that it is — and should be — a personal journey of discovery. To help guide you in that creamy and sweet saga, the Food & Wine team tasted as many different cartons as we could find in New York City grocery stores at the start of the holiday season. While this isn’t an exhaustive survey of every eggnog on the market nationwide, we tasted nearly 15 different options that came from brands with wide (and local) distribution. Some were fairly traditional, others flavored, and several fell into the rapidly expanding dairy-free nog category.


Before we dive into our favorites and what we love about them, let us ask ourselves some fundamental questions: How did eggnog even become a fixture of the holidays? Are there real eggs in it? And, is it even worth drinking it without booze?


What Is Eggnog?

Culinary historians generally agree that eggnog dates back to medieval Britain in the 13th century, when members of the aristocracy often drank hot milk and eggs combined with spices and alcohol known as “possets” (not to be confused with the other, more common kind of posset, which is like a sweet, chilled pudding). The drink’s boozy profile evolved to include sherry, and, later, rum. Meanwhile, as America settled into its status as a fledgling country in the 18th century, President George Washington’s heavily spiked eggnog quickly became a beloved Christmas-time drink, a tradition that has carried into modern day.


Eggnog is classically made using eggs, milk, heavy cream, sugar and vanilla extract. Cinnamon, cloves, star anise or grated nutmeg are typically added for a warming flavor and garnish, and you can experiment with using rum, whiskey, or brandy for a boozy upgrade.


Now that you have a sense of eggnog’s past, here are the four best eggnogs we’ve tasted this year.




Best Dairy-Free Eggnog: Chobani Oat Nog

First came the Millennial-minded rebrand, then came Chobani’s venture into the dairy-free space. The brand has been experimenting with plant-based dairy for some time now with flavored coffee creamers and creamy oat milk, but this seasonal eggnog might be their best release yet. Our editors felt it had just the right amount of coconut on the nose, and a great balance of cinnamon and clove spices. While many of the dairy-free eggnog contenders we tasted were surprisingly runny, Chobani’s offering had a nice, creamy heft to it. Some mentioned that they didn’t taste (and missed) the egg part of the drink, which brings us back to the personal journey aspect of eggnog — if you’re looking for less egg, but more spice, Chobani’s oat nog is likely for you!




Best Eggnog to Spike: Southern Comfort Traditional Eggnog

It’s not all that surprising that the team behind Southern Comfort whiskey knows how to make a booze-friendly eggnog. “This is thick, rich and pleasantly sweet thanks to baking spices,” one editor said. Another liked its deep yellow color because it felt “like real, homemade eggnog”, and most of our testers felt it would play best with whiskey or rum. It’s worth noting that Southern Comfort also makes a vanilla flavored eggnog, but we found that version overpowering in its sweetness. If you’re looking for a SoCo eggnog, go for the original.


For Fans of Really, Truly Creamy Eggnog: Upstate Farms Eggnog

From Buffalo, New York, Upstate Farms’ eggnog won over most of the self-proclaimed nog enthusiasts on our staff. Exceptionally thick, creamy, and heavy on the egg flavor, this is an eggnog for someone who loves a homemade version, but perhaps doesn’t have the time or energy to whip up a fresh batch. While some of our testers remarked that this eggnog is so thick, it would be difficult to down more than a glass in a single sitting, some found it refreshingly balanced in terms of sweetness. All in all, this isn’t an eggnog for the faint of heart, but it’s sure to satisfy traditionalists.




The Best Eggnog for Almost Anyone: Pittsford Farms Eggnog

Also from upstate New York, Pittsford Farms’ eggnog is a perfect grocery store gateway buy for the nog-curious. “This is really high quality dairy, the balance of cream and egginess is spot on, with a nice, subtle hint of vanilla and spice, especially ginger,” one editor shared. “This has the most ‘natural’ milk and egg notes. I appreciate its mild, sweet flavor, but wish it had a bit more spice,” said another. If you enjoy the taste of melted, vanilla ice cream (for the record, we did), this is likely to scratch the same itch.

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