Molson Coors and DraftKings turn Super Bowl ad into betting opportunity

Dive Brief:

Molson Coors is upping the stakes for its first Super Bowl advertisement in 30 years through a partnership with sports-betting platform DraftKings, according to information shared with Marketing Dive.
For the collaboration, consumers are encouraged to bet on details of the spot ahead of the big game for the chance to win a portion of a $500,000 prize pool. Details up for betting include aspects like which beer will be shown first, which type of dog will be featured behind the bar and how many people will have facial hair.
The final ad spot, produced by Droga5 and scheduled to air during the first half, will feature one of six potential endings that were filmed. The betting will be hosted on DraftKings’ app and is supposedly the largest free-to-play non-sport contest prize pool in the betting platform’s history, a sign of the growing influence sports betting could play in marketing.

Dive Insight:

Molson Coors has long been sounding the drum for its return to the Super Bowl after rival Anheuser-Busch InBev’s 33-year long monopoly on alcohol advertising during the game ended. In January, the brewer began to build hype by pitting its top light beer brands, Coors Light and Miller Lite, against each other through marketing activations like a full-page New York Times ad to build anticipation for which brand would take the big game spotlight.

Striking a partnership with DraftKings during a time when sports betting is on the rise could help Molson Coors build additional excitement for its big game return. During the last NFL season, The American Gaming Association found that nearly 50 million Americans were expected to be betting. The effort, coined “The High Stakes Beer Ad,” has a handful of potential endings — to ensure bets on the final spot are a true gamble. Consumers can bet on the commercial using a DraftKing’s account until Feb. 12 at 3:30 pm EST, with winners expected to be announced the next morning. Teaser ads promoting the partnership ran during the NFL Conference Championship games.

“By giving people the chance to predict every detail of the ad before it even runs, we’re bringing our fans along for the ride and getting them just as excited about our return to the big stage as we are,” said Michelle St. Jacques, Molson Coors’ CMO in a press statement.

The return to the Super Bowl comes as Miller Lite and Coors Light see a surge in popularity. The brands posted their strongest combined dollar share in over a decade in 2022. The light beer brands also grew share of the total industry in the fourth quarter. Though a national presence in the big game is a milestone, Molson Coors for a long time has found ways to tie itself to the event. For example, Miller Light in 2022 set up shop in the metaverse to showcase its advertisement that ran adjacent to the game.