Dive Brief:

• Miller Lite, owned by Molson Coors, has unveiled beer-infused charcoal just in time for Memorial Day cookouts, according to a press release.
• “Miller Lite Beercoal” is intended to flavor grilled foods with the taste of Miller Lite, with 4-lb bags available to purchase online at MillerLiteBeercoal.com for $11.99 plus shipping. The “It’s Griller Time” campaign is a play on “It's Miller Time,” the long-used slogan of the beer.
• Taste has long been a sticking point of Miller Lite advertising, boasting that the taste of Miller Lite is superior to that of other light beers, such as rivals Bud Light and Michelob Ultra. The activation follows similar Miller Lite infused products, including drops that can be added to other light beers to make them taste like Miller Lite.

Dive Insight:

The beer-coated charcoal bricks provide Miller Lite a clever way to integrate the brand into Memorial Day celebrations while also continuing to emphasize taste. Taste is a hallmark of Miller’s marketing strategy, especially as the company moves away from emphasizing calories and carbs to the same extent as it has in the past.

Beercoal is the latest taste-based initiative from the brewer, following flavor drops that went on sale during March Madness. Similar to the drops, Beercoal was released to coincide with a holiday or event in order to associate Miller Lite with that holiday. Memorial Day acts as the unofficial mark of summer, when beer sales tend to spike. 

"Summer is all about outdoor cookouts and get-togethers, which means plenty of Miller Time," said Anne Pando, director of marketing for Miller Lite. "We see Miller Lite Beercoal as the perfect way to kick-off a season-long celebration of beer, grilling and hanging out with friends and family."

The bearcoal stunt serves as a way for Miller Lite to make its mark on summer, especially as alternative products such as seltzer and ready to drink cocktails eat into beer’s market share. The absurdness of the product is bound to raise eyebrows, raising Miller Lite’s public awareness. By selling beercoal at a direct-to-consumers website, Miller Lite can gather first-party data that is becoming more important as the data privacy landscape tightens.