F1 World Champion Max Verstappen Is Tired of Being the Designated Driver in Heineken Ad

F1 is growing in popularity worldwide—especially in the Netherlands thanks to Dutch driver Max Verstappen, who has been the world champion for the past two years. Dutch brewer Heineken is tapping into that enthusiasm by making Verstappen the face of its new responsible drinking campaign.

Created by Publicis Groupe agency Le Pub and directed by Bradley & Pablo through production company Prettybird, “The Best Driver” is set to The Beatles’ iconic track “Drive My Car.” The spot shows Verstappen out drinking with friends, who repeatedly make him serve as the designated driver because the racer is the best driver in the group.

He grows increasingly exasperated with chauffeuring the rowdy group through rain and snow, until he begs off by drinking a Heineken. As a friend reluctantly takes the wheel, Verstappen reveals he was actually drinking the brand’s nonalcoholic Heineken 0.0.

“As an F1 driver, making the right choices both on and off the track is vitally important for success,” Verstappen said in a statement. “When driving, having that clarity and single-mindedness, particularly when it comes to safety, is crucial.”

Part of the brand’s ongoing “When You Drive, Never Drink” program, the new campaign launched across social media and digital out-of-home platforms and will roll out globally throughout 2023.

“‘When You Drive, Never Drink’ is a message we are very passionate about, and continues to be at the forefront of our long standing partnership with F1,” global head of Heineken brand Bram Westenbrink said in a statement. “As the racing season begins to heat up over the summer months, we are excited to launch the latest phase of this campaign which we first kicked off in 2016.”

CREDITS

Heineken

Senior director global: Bram Westenbrink
Global communication director: Daniela Iebba
Global digital director: Rob van Griensven
Global communication manager: Tanya Lubis
Global head digital consumer innovation: Natacha Volpini
Global digital innovation manager: Jared Martinez Alejo
Brand global PR lead: Jonathan O’Lone
Global senior sponsorship manager: Thomas Mulders

Publicis Italy | LePub

Global CEO LePub, global CCO Publicis Worldwide and CCO Publicis Groupe Italy: Bruno Bertelli
Chief creative officer: Cristiana Boccassini
Chief creative officer: Mihnea Gheorghiu
Chief creative officer: Milos Obradovic
Global executive creative director: Eoin Sherry
Global creative director: Jack Christensen
Art director: Nicolò Pavin
Copywriter: Mattia Pavin
Global head of PR and communication: Isabella Cecconi
Groupe strategy director: James Moore
Director of comms planning: Shane Roche
Global client service director: Paola Natellis
Global client service director: Shirine Aoun
Account director: Rossana de Rosa
Account executive: Francesca Gatti
Head of video production: Anna Sica
Producer: Martina Trozzi

Dentsu

Global client director: Kate Hinz
Global strategic digital director: Ricardo Lopes
Global strategy partner: Richard Wright
Global account director: Thaiane Garrido
Senior client manager: Angelo Senatore
Senior strategic planner: Maria Lekka

Digital and social assets (Boomerang)

Chief creative officer: Eldin Fetahovic
Global creative director: Dio Santos
Creative lead dynamic: Brent Rombouts
Senior creative: Bruno Lopes
Senior creative: Victor Farias
Designer: Omar Gutierrez
Client business lead: Leila Popovych
Senior account director: Margot Corneloup
Project lead: Joyce Kooren
Dynamic business lead: Sebastiaan Poublon
Amplify project lead: Nathalie Meier
Lead digital producer: Vic Krens
Senior dynamic asset manager: Daria Lakovenko
QC and data manager: Renske de Vlieg
Post-producer: Lina Joukhadar
Editor: Rocco Tozzi

Production

Production company: Prettybird UK
Director: Bradley & Pablo
DP: Laura Meriens
Executive producer: Ted Thornton
Executive producer: Juliette Larthe
Head of production: Fiona Bamford-Phillips
Head of business and strategy: Mia Powell
Head of creative: Tom Manaton
Production coordinator: Enrique Da Silva
Production assistant: Lottie Lindsay-Beavan

Post-production

Editor dir cut: Thomas Grove Carter @ Trim Editing
Editor long formats: Claudio Roveda
Editor digital assets: Andrea Besana
Color grading long formats: Electric Theatre Collective
Colorist: Luke Morrison
Color executive producer: Oliver Whitworth
Color producer: Olivia Jessop
Color grading digital assets: Corte 11
Colorist: Luca Parma
Online/VFX: Prodigious WW
Head of post: Alfredo Beretta
Post producer: Alina Chaplygina
Online: Sandro Iurini, Franco Tonnarelli
Compositing: Adolfo Navire, Fabrizio Volpi, Jacopo Ardit
3D CGI: 22DOGS
Executive producer: Antonella Galassi
VFX supervisor: Massimiliano Pareschi
Senior producer: Giulia Lamacchia
Producer: Luca Petrini
Lead CG: Jinseok Park
Comp supervisor: Alessandro Tibiletti
Compositors: Angelo Murianni, Nadir Sanna, Luigi Mobiglia
3D artists: Marco Squeo, Daniele Zambelli, Giannicola Maccarinelli
FX artist: Matteo Finozzi
Matte painter: Manuel Bergamini

Audio

Music: MassiveMusic
Music search and licensing director: Stefan van der Wielen
Producers: Niels van der Wielen, Niels Docter & Auke Riemersma
Account director: Ella Chevasco
Publisher: Sony Publishing
Song: Drive My Car – The Beatles
Sound design and mix long formats: Screenplay
Audio post production digital assets: 750mph
Sound design and mix: Marcin Pawlik
Audio producer: Olivia Ray

Post-production digital and social assets (Boomerang)

Post producer: Lina Joukhadar
Offline/online editor: Ane Zabala
Grading: Shebanjah Klaasen, Cyriel Roumen
Motion designer: Lenisio Jardim
Compositor: William Martens
Edit overview: Mike Duistermaat