Brief:

• LandShark Lager, the Anheuser-Busch beer licensed from Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, is working with conservation group Shark Angels on an SMS-based campaign to save endangered sharks. The beer brand donated money to Shark Angels to adopt 100 sharks, per information shared with Mobile Marketer.
• As part of the campaign, LandShark is giving six people a chance to win a trip to Margaritaville Resort in Hollywood, Florida, for two nights. While there, each winner and a friend can participate in a dive with live sharks. In addition to airfare and lodging, winners will receive $100 of Uber credit and a $500 prepaid card for meals and travel expenses, per the SMS contest rules.
• People ages 21 and older can now text the word "SHARK" to 78896 for a chance to win through Aug. 24. The trip will be on Sept. 12-14, per the announcement.

Insight:

LandShark Lager's SMS-based entry for its contest can help to reach younger adults who are more comfortable interacting with businesses by messaging, although the contest also has a dedicated microsite to enter. Text-to-win contests have become more popular in recent years because they are relatively easy to set up and can help to gather more information from mobile consumers, according to SMS marketing firm SlickText.

Surveys show mixed attitudes toward people's preferences of calling or texting businesses, indicating that messaging is still in the early stages of consumer adoption. More than half (56%) of consumers want to text with businesses more often, per a study by cloud software platform Zipwhip, while research from phone technology provider Ooma and Sapio Research found that 57% of consumers prefer phone calls over other forms of electronic communications when contacting local businesses.

By launching the contest just days ahead of Discovery Channel's "Shark Week" programming, the beer brand is smartly looking to capitalize on shark-related chatter and appeal to consumers who are interested in the animals and oceans.

LandShark Lager's contest helps to reinforce the brand's image as a laid-back beach brew that also cares for the environment, a cause-driven effort that should help to resonate with younger adults. Cause-driven campaigns, which are often well-received by younger consumers, help to provide an emotional bond that can drive longer-term loyalty and distinguish brands from competitors. Almost two-thirds (64%) of consumers said they will buy or boycott a brand because of its social or political position on an issue, according to Edelman's most recent Earned Brand study.

By offering a shark-dive experience, LandShark Lager also can appeal to millennials and older members of Generation Z who are reaching the legal drinking age with an authentic experience that they can share with their friends and followers on social media. Experiential marketing has become a key strategy for alcohol brands that seek to resonate among young adults. Kahlúa, Skyy Vodka, Malibu, Shackleton Whiskey, Jägermeister and Three Olives Vodka, among others, also have developed mobile-based campaigns aimed at prolonging brand exposure among on-the-go consumers.