Mike’s March Madness ‘Comeback Hotlime’ Brings Back Limeade As ‘Official Drink Of Comebacks’

Mike’s Hard Lemonade revived its fan-favourite lime flavour during NCAA March Madness with a hoops-themed stunt called the ‘Comeback Hotlime’ which sought to simultaneously offer college hoops fans a telephone pep-talk and position the product as ‘The Official Drink Of Comebacks’.

 

The company’s lime flavour was discontinued in 2018, but to promote its return, the Mark Anthony Brewing brand launched the ‘Mike’s Hard Comeback Hotlime’ telephone service: inviting college basketball fans to call 1-866-TALK2MIKE for a pre-game rallying call, a game-day motivational speech by former basketball star Mike Miller, or simply a space to shout about the game and unload their frustrations and disappointments.

 

Launched to leverage the NCAA Division One college basketball tournament, the marketing stunt seeks the brand aim to engage consumers and position itself as a listening company by bringing back a discontinued products following consumer demand.

 

The campaign saw the brand team up with basketball star Mike Miller: a former Florida Gator player in college and a two-time NBA Champion with the Miami Heat.

 

Promoted through PR and a social media campaign running through March primarily on the brand’s own channels (including Instagram and Twitter), the campaign also included a ‘branded swag giveaway’ to fans who called the hotline and/or asked for the return of lime flavour (which was made available as part of Mike’s Hard Variety Packs and in standalone six-packs).

 

Team not playing so hot?
Don’t sweat it. Call the Mike’s Comeback Hotlime at 1-866-TALK2MIKE to get a pep talk from Mike Miller. #TheOfficialDrinkofComebacks pic.twitter.com/NCFK7gwCMk

— Mike's Hard Lemonade (@mhl) March 24, 2023

 

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According to Mark Anthony Brewing, the return of Mike’s Hard Limeade follows what the company described as a “social media plea for the flavour’s return”.

 

This campaign illustrates how March Madness invariably provides marketers with an opportunity with connect with fans through a variety of fun, inventive and eclectic tactics.

 

Indeed, Mike’s competitor Twisted Tea Hard Iced Tea even leveraged March Madness 2023 to introduce boxer shorts with pouches that hold two 12-ounce cans of the beverage in a vasectomy-linked campaign called ‘Vasectomundies’, while Coors Light sought to calm nervous hoops fans with beer-flavored ice pops in ‘Coors-icles’.

 

Founded in 1999, Mike’s Hard Lemonade was one of the earlier mover in the now crowded ‘malternative’ drinks sub-category and this type of left-field campaign seeks to re-establish its early leadership in the space.