Dive Brief:

• Michelob Ultra unveiled the Ultra Caddie Bag, a prototype golf bag equipped with a keg of the beer and other features, according to a news release. The gear was unveiled at the PGA Championship at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, where the Anheuser-Busch brand was an official sponsor.
• Created with the digital creative agency Red, the Caddie Bag includes a 128-ounce refillable keg with a custom Michelob Ultra tap handle, a rechargeable Bluetooth speaker, built-in tablet, storage for pint glasses and LED lighting. 
• Consumers can enter for a chance to win the bag by sharing how they live "Ultra" on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #UltraCaddieContest.

Dive Insight:

Michelob Ultra is celebrating its longtime partnership with the PGA through an elaborate, tech-ready golf bag that recalls the one used by Rodney Dangerfield's character in "Caddyshack," as The Drum pointed out. The novelty Ultra Caddie Bag giveaway could help the beer brand boost its social media engagement with golfers and fans of the cult comedy classic, especially among millennial consumers that are drinking less beer.

The campaign comes at a rough time for U.S. brewers, which have seen declining sales and struggled to gain traction with younger drinkers. Beer consumption among consumers age 21-27 dropped from 65% in 2006 to 43% in 2017, according to AB InBev data cited in Ad Age. Consumers' drinking habits have been shifting away from beer to spirits and wine, and Michelob Ultra has responded by marketing more around its low-calorie and carb count, which is less than what's found in a glass of white wine. 

Michelob Ultra has been a bright spot for parent company AB InBev with its 11% year-over-year sales growth, which is likely due to the brewing giant's positioning of Michelob as a healthier beer. In March, the company added Michelob Ultra Pure Gold, a new beer made from organic grains that has fewer calories and carbs than the original beer. Michelob Ultra targeted millennials with active, healthy lifestyles, and partnered with World Surf League Champion Kelly Slater and sponsored The Founders' Cup of Surfing.

The tech focus of the golf bag follows other recent efforts from Michelob sister brands like Bud Light. Bud Light last week debuted a smart refrigerator that will be installed in bars in Cleveland and at the Cleveland Browns' FirstEnergy Stadium. The fridges, which are powered by Bud-E Fridge smart technology, will only unlock once the struggling NFL team wins a regular-season game.