A new strand of Budweiser Canada’s year-long hockey initiative sees the beer’s marketers stick its goal-synched ‘Red Light’ technology in a branded beer glass.
So, as of 5 September, hockey loving beer drinkers will see their glass light up in real-time every time their favourite NHL team scores.
These wi-fi linked beer glasses connect to the drinker/hockey fan’s smartphone, enabling Budweiser to bring live hockey action wherever the fan is drinking.
According to Budweiser Canada marketing director Andrew Oosterhuis a previous in-bar pitcher/glass version of this campaign required a large connected control box that had to be kept behind the bar, while the new glasses simple link via fan smartphones.
The Red Light Glasses are free across Canada with selected cases of Budweiser.
In addition to the spot, PR work, an in-bar promotion and game-related activity, the initiative is also being pushes across digital and social platforms connected by the hashtag #LightUpTheNation.
SNIPE! @marklundrigan @anulifetechjay @xMDVYNx hooking you up with a Goal-Synced Glass. #LightUpTheNation pic.twitter.com/K5KD2tOEa6
— Budweiser Canada (@budcanada) September 22, 2016
(Complete with plenty of fan/customer enthusiastic sharing too.)
Essentially this hockey initiative is an extension of the Budweiser’s ongoing internet-of-things ‘Red Light’: it began bringing the iconic red light and siren found behind the goal in NHL stadium into fan homes across Canada in 2013 (see case study).
This approach was later extended to the USA in 2015 (see case study).
Indeed, since it was initially introduced in 2013, Budweiser Canada has introduced a series of spin-offs from its wi-fi enabled replica hockey goal lights.
The brand’s dedicated ‘Goal Lab’ think tank, staffed by brand marketers, agency professionals and employees of its Red Light tech partner Buzz Products, is dedicated to coming up with fresh Red Light ideas and the initially ‘Red Light’ was extended via the ‘Red Light District’, the ‘Red Zeppelin’, the ‘Red Light Net’ and now the ‘Red Glass’.
Part of Budweiser’s umbrella ambition of ‘lighting up the world’ on behalf of Canada, this latest initiative marks the mid-way point of Budweiser’s first year-long hockey-fuelled campaign.
This programme also included a Super Bowl spot from Budweiser from creative agency AOR Anomaly featuring a giant Red Light hauled across the landscape by a huge truck.
Now, as the new hockey season approaches, the brand is re-approaching this story line as a cross-country tour saw 20,000 Canadians sign up and have their own name etched into the super-sized Red Light (the first name on the list was one Wayne Gretzky).
Those Canadians who signed on to get their name etched into the light received notice from the brand last week to say that they are also eligible to receive one of the glasses free of charge.
The 8 city, 6000km Red Light Tour’s final destination was Grise Fiord, Nunavut – a town nicknamed the ‘top of the world’.
A 15-second commercial trumpeting the light’s last stop before being put aboard a ship to Grise Fiord was released in unison with the Red Light glass.
This spot is currently airing on broadcast, with a focus on hockey programming – particularly pre-season hockey content.
Plus it is running on YouTube pre-roll and as paid media on other social media sites.
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Essentially this is an ambush campaign as, back in early 2011, the NHL signed a major seven-year sponsorship deal with brewer Molson Coors (in Canada) and MillerCoors (in the USA) which saw flagship brand Molson Canadian become the exclusive official League beer.
Interestingly, while initially Budweiser sold the original Red Light as a ‘cost recovery measure’ (including shipping they cost around $200 each), the Red Light Glasses are being made available as a gift with purchase with cases of Budweiser.
In short, Budweiser is aiming to flood the country with glasses – giving away around half a million units.
Marketing director Oosterhuis, who claims that the initiative has revitalised the brand in Canada as well as strengthened its hockey Association, reports that Canadians have spent $8m on Red Lights over the last three years.
‘The Red Light has become almost an icon in Canada for the brand, as much as the bow-tie and other icons like the script for Budweiser. It’s synonymous now,’ he argues.
‘Regardless of where our hockey creative goes in the future, I think the Red Light will always have a role.’
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