Ahead of the start of the NFL 2017/18 season, the league’s official beer brand Bud Light is taking a two-pronged promotional approach to leveraging pre-season excitement by rolling out a new set of team customised cans and using them to offer codes for a Snapchat led season-long competition.
Thus the league’s official beer is giving NFL fans and consumers a double shot at toasting NFL enthusiasm to put its products top-of-mind with consumers and football fans.
As it seeks to leverage fan allegiances, the Anheuser-Busch InBev brand is launching new team-themed cans and aluminum bottles for 28 NFL franchises: with team logos and imagery, along with team-related phrases and expressions to pay tribute to each side’s identity.
These copy lines – which range from Philadelphia Eagles’ “Fly Eagles Fly,” and Pittsburgh’s ‘Got Six’, to Atlanta Falcons’ “Rise Up”, Tennessee’s “Titan Up” and Cincinnati Bengals’ “Who Dey” – aim to use franchise relevant wordplay to inspire fan/drinker appreciation and consumption.
The @budlight @Chiefs cans are back, and so is football!! Couldn't come soon enough! #ChiefsKingdom #Budlight #makesmehappy #Tailgating pic.twitter.com/cQt6nUKwAO
— Nate James (@Naterp) August 9, 2017
You got it right this time #budlight 36pk pic.twitter.com/9dVkeARi6F
— Wes Hill (@webzter3) August 17, 2017
While it pains me to have to buy this one, it's all they have in northeast Ohio. Will still look good w/my #BudLight collection #HereWeGo pic.twitter.com/MgS75Oex2m
— Mark A. Thomas (@CommishMThomas) August 19, 2017
Bud light is also launching a special 36-pack with all 32 NFL teams represented.
NFL fans-New limited release from Bud Light. Cans for all teams in this 36pk. #shopaggieville #budlight #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/TOedkzLe0A
— LibraryinAggieville (@LibraryLiquor) August 21, 2017
These unique team can/bottle designs also feature Snapcodes that enable fans/consumers take a photo of them using Snapchat to unlock a chance to win Super Bowl LII tickets, an interactive Bud Bowl-style game and team-specific Snapchat filters.
This Snapchat competition phase of the new season launch activation starts in parallel with the league’s regular season game kick off on 7 September when the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots host the Kansas City Chiefs.
The beer behemoth is offering a chance to win tickets to the match-up at US Bank Stadium through Snapchat codes that unlock an interactive Bud Bowl style game and additional team-specific filters.
As the campaign unfolds, supporters and other squads’ backers will be cheering for scores, interceptions and all kinds of clutch plays not just because they could bring playoff berths, but because they could bring prizes too.
Football season is almost here people!!!! #collegefootball #NFL #Budlight pic.twitter.com/jMJRZhxzU6
— Tri-Eagle Sales (@trieaglesales) August 9, 2017
As well as the team-specific packaging and Snapchat competition, Bud Light will also roll out new football focused television advertising throughout the NFL season.
Commercials will be creatively and thematically linked ot its ongoing ‘Famous Among Friends’ campaign: celebrating the fun times made while building friendships over sports and beer.
The first TV ad will debut on air during the season-opening game on 7 September.
“NFL team packaging has become something fans look for from Bud Light year after year,” said Anna Rogers, Director of NFL Partnerships and Strategy, Anheuser-Busch.
“We are proud to continue that tradition and give fans another way to support their favorite teams while enjoying NFL football with their friends. We are also very excited to roll out NFL packaging on aluminum bottles for the first time in addition to cans.”
Comment:
Bud Light’s continuation of the NFL team can tradition and competition extends its long and rich activation tradition as the official beer sponsor of the NFL.
A precious partnership with the USA’s biggest sports property: with each NFL game day seeing viewing parties and tailgates up and down the nation act as major sales opportunities for packaged food, snacks, delivery businesses and beverage brands.
We may still be around three weeks away from NFL kick-off, but this is at least the third sponsor campaign leveraging the new season through a Snapchat code led competition.
As far as NFL partners are concerned – Snapchat code contest are the fashionable activation tactic of the pre-season.
This seems like a smart move from Bud Light and it is likely that sufficient numbers of fans will engage with the Snapchat strand in search of NFL prizes and tickets.
Apart, of course, from the fan that won the brand’s 2016 ‘Strike Gold – Gold Can’ competition which offered Super Bowl tickets for life (see case study).
Plus, despite its official partner status, Budweiser isn’t the only beer brand to roll out team customised can art.
Rival Miller Lite is also aiming to make some NFL related marketing noise by launching a series of custom can illustrations linked to its own 18 NFL team alliances as it aims to connect with fans in each city around kick-off (see http://www.millercoorsblog.com/news/miller-lite-custom-pro-football-illustrations-nfl/).
ICYMI: Miller Lite custom pro football illustrations ready for prime time | MillerCoors Behind the Beer https://t.co/uNRFZflOS1 pic.twitter.com/E0pmVnnJUq
— MillerCoors (@MillerCoors) August 21, 2017
To try and stand-out from this cluttered can space, Miller Lite has set out to mine the local traditions and the cultural identities of each of its partner teams to develop what Miller Lite’s Brian Schmidt calls “steal-worthy artwork”.
The illustrations, developed in tandem with creative agency DDB, each feature iconic images lionked to teams and/or their cities.
They range from a hard-hatted steelworker in Pittsburgh and a mythical football-toting viking in Minnesota, to a Packers’ player performing the famous Lambeau Leap in Green Bay.
The Miller campaign is rolling out in each regional market across a variety of platforms: ranging from in-restaurant and in-bar assets, to retail outlet work, outdoor media installations in/around the stadiums and digital ads and social pieces.
“The custom illustrations,” Schmidt says, “are a way for Miller Lite to establish a more-authentic bond with the team and fans of the team.”
Links:
Bud Light
https://www.facebook.com/BudLight
https://www.youtube.com/user/official…
https://www.instagram.com/budlight/
https://plus.google.com/+budlight/videos
NFL
http://www.nflshop.com/source/bm-nflc…
