Dive Brief:

• Heineken-owned beer brand Dos Equis wants to "Save our Saturdays" by encouraging consumers to text "S.O.S." in a bid to receive tailgating swag, according to an announcement emailed to Marketing Dive.
• Among the prizes is a Seis-foot Cooler, a six-foot-long cooler that doubles as a social distance measuring device. Some winners will be awarded a bevy of prizes, delivered in a "tricked-out" Chevrolet El Camino.
• Dos Equis is the latest brand promoting virtual or socially distant tailgating parties when none are taking place in-person, with the S.O.S. promotion part of a new "Tailgate Anything" marketing campaign backed by TV advertising, point-of-sale materials and limited edition packaging, that encourages consumers to host a tailgate before any event, not just college football games.

Dive Insight:

In a football season as strange as this year's, brands that are traditionally tied to the sport's communal aspects — snack foods, sodas and beer — are admittedly having a tough time marketing themselves.

As the official beer sponsor of the College Football Playoff, Dos Equis is launching its "Save Our Saturdays" promotion to connect with fans who may be feeling chagrined with the shortage of communal activities surrounding the college football season. Through November, fans can text "S.O.S." to 77000 to win tailgating gear, such as a Dos-in-One grill pack, featuring a single-use charcoal grill inside a box (that becomes a cornhole set after use) or all-access streaming codes to watch games. The brand's Seis-foot Cooler, which was introduced during the summer, makes a comeback as the need for social distancing has yet to wane with the arrival of fall.

The tailgate effort also coincides with Dos Equis' brand refresh, which includes rolling out new packaging that highlights the brand's Mexican heritage.

Dos Equis' efforts to help consumers replicate the communal aspects of fall sports mirror those taken on by other brands, most notably Pepsi, which last month hosted a "Tailgate in a Box" sweepstakes where it would deliver kits of supplies for football fans to hold their own tailgate party at home. The brand also created team-specific packaging and contests to appeal to football fans. Among the prizes was a Buffalo Bills-themed tailgate truck, which attempts to recreate infamous Bills gameday traditions.

Other brands traditionally tied to large gatherings are also promoting ways for fans to continue using their products without the crowds. For instance, Oscar Mayer launched a campaign this summer encouraging people to have Front Yard Cookouts with neighbors, near which they could grill outside and remain socially distant.