Dive Brief:

• Suntory brand Jim Beam launched a new campaign on Jan. 15 in partnership with actor and comedian Keegan-Michael Key that is targeted at heartbroken football fans, according to a press release.
• The tie-up includes skits featuring Key acting out how football fans respond when their favorite teams lose. The effort also includes a limited-edition care package dubbed the 7 Stages of Defeat and additional campaign elements that will span TV, digital, social and e-commerce.
• With the NFL season quickly coming to a close, most football fans aren't going to see their team win the Super Bowl. The campaign is meant to embrace and acknowledge that disappointment with comedy and its novelty kit, which includes a variety of items to help fans cope with loss.

Dive Insight:

With NFL playoffs underway, Jim Beam is looking to make a connection with the majority of football fans who have seen, or will see, their team lose. The effort recognizes how fans are feeling in a comedic way while also celebrating the season. The skits, which will run on Jim Beam’s Instagram page, and national campaign are timed to reach as many consumers as possible in the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl on Feb. 9.

The kits themselves put a focus on Jim Beam Black and are inspired by the spirit’s seven-year aging process. The kit drops are timed to key playoff moments. A limited quantity of the care packages will be available via the sweepstakes beginning at 12 p.m. on Jan. 20, Jan. 27 and Feb. 10, which is the day after the Super Bowl.

To extend the campaign, Jim Beam worked with sportswear brand Mitchell & Ness to give away 100 limited-edition jerseys to influencers, talent and media.

With the Super Bowl several weeks away, brands are looking for buzzy ways to engage consumers. Jim Beam isn’t the only brand using comedy to do so. Molson Coors brand Coors Light is launching special-edition packaging designed to make the Monday after the Super Bowl more manageable. 

Jim Beam has been a source of growth for Suntory outside of Japan, where it is headquartered, according to financial reports from the company. Suntory has seen a 6.6% increase in revenue year-over-year, up to 1.649 trillion yen (approximately $10.5 billion), according to a 2024 H1 financial statement. 

However, bourbon as a whole has fallen on tough times. Demand for the spirit has declined in the U.S. after years of booming business. Tariffs and the rise of low and nonalcoholic drinks have also hurt the market.