Miller Lite, Coors Light expand football marketing playbook for new season

Dive Brief:

On deck for Molson Coors this fall are football-themed activations and advertising for brands Miller Lite and Coors Light that are part of the conglomerate’s goal of increasing marketing spend by $100 million this year, the company said in a press release.
Miller Lite will further integrate with fantasy football, including by expanding its lead sponsorship of ESPN’s fantasy football app to showcase the network’s fantasy badge on packaging. Coors Light is leveraging its partnership with ESPN to bring its sponsorship of “College Gameday” to a broader array of packaging.
Ahead of the start of the 2023-2024 season, Miller Lite will launch a new 15-second spot that celebrates moments fans look forward to, such as tailgating or watching the game in a sports bar. Coors Light is producing new content related to college football as well as partnering with a sports podcast.

Dive Insight

Coming off of a strong sales quarter, Miller Lite and Coors Light are seeking to continue momentum into the football season. During the 13 weeks ending Aug. 20, Coors Light saw a sales volume increase of 25%, while Miller Lite saw an increase of 20%, according to data cited by Molson Coors in the release. Both Miller Lite and Coors Light plan on leveraging preexisting sponsorships to take advantage of football hype while expanding their presence via programming.

While rival Anheuser-Busch InBev already has the official NFL sponsorship, Molson Coors is going after the next best thing with a plan to make Miller Lite the face of fantasy football, where it represents 16 league alliance teams. ESPN’s fantasy football app was used by over 11 million fans during the previous season, and Miller Lite plans on promoting the connection extensively. Additionally, the brewer is continuing to partner with DraftKings while also expanding advertising across fantasy football podcasts.

“Fans are engaged in fantasy football seven days a week. Whether they’re setting a lineup, checking stats or ribbing their buddies over text, we want them to have a Miller Lite nearby,” said James Nanney, senior marketing manager for Miller Lite in a press statement.

Coors Light will focus on college football this season with new packaging and programming. A new program from the brand, dubbed “Nothing Like Gameday,” celebrates college football culture including tailgates and rooting for your favorite team. Consumers will have the chance to win merchandise through QR codes on cans and packaging. Additionally, Coors Light developed a limited-edition Chill Throne, a luxury reclining chair that is set to go on sale Sept. 2 and retail for $750. Consumers will also have the chance to win one.

The brand will also be part of the sports podcast “Pardon My Take” and has local assets for on- and off-premise accounts showcasing its 30 college alliances.

The marketing initiatives from two of Molson Coor’s largest brands builds on the momentum the company saw after it was able to participate in the Super Bowl for the first time in over three decades following rival Anheuser-Busch InBev’s decision to give up its monopoly on the event.