Dive Brief:

• Smirnoff, the official vodka sponsor of the NFL, will reveal its first-ever cocktail coordinator to the world during Super Bowl LVII, according to a press release. The reveal will put an end to a months-long competition that began at the start of the 2022 NFL season and aims to highlight passionate game-day cocktail makers.
• For the final stage, Smirnoff on Jan. 29 tested three finalists on football knowledge, game day entertaining and cocktail making skills. The event was judged by NFL commentator Kay Adams and founder of Cocktail Academy Matt Landes.
• The participant selected as the winner will have the opportunity to travel for free to the 2023 Super Bowl as Smirnoff’s guest and receive additional surprises. The effort shows how some brands are utilizing pre-game hype as a marketing tactic.

Dive Insight:

As Diageo-brand Smirnoff navigates its second season as the official spirits sponsor of the NFL, a contest like its cocktail coordinator face-off could prove effective in drawing eyes to its status. Incentivizing fan engagements by playing off of Super Bowl excitement is a common marketing tactic, with a similar approach taken this year by Avocados from Mexico, Verizon and Gatorade’s Fast Twitch.

First launched in September, finalists for what Smirnoff calls the “Best Job in America” have dwindled to only three people: Tania Ortega, India Stokes and Conner Sheets. Ahead of the competition’s final challenge, Smirnoff drove excitement regionally by taking out full page ads in the competitors’ home cities of Dallas and Austin, Texas, and Denver, Colorado in addition to printing the finalists’ photos on billboards elsewhere. The final event was hosted Jan. 29, the same day as the NFL Conference Championships, which saw the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs named this year’s Super Bowl competitors. 

Following the reveal of the inaugural cocktail coordinator, Smirnoff will offer $25 ride-share gift cards to fans who live in the same city as the winner to help provide safe transportation following the game. Smirnoff has additional plans for the week of the big game, which include its second annual GLAAD “Night of Pride” which will feature discussions on LGBT inclusion in sports. Before the big game, Smirnoff will also honor former NFL athletes with the NFL Legends Alumni Roast and Toast, co-hosted by brand partner Vernon Davis.

This year’s events see Smirnoff continuing to pursue community focused efforts around sports. For example, last year Smirnoff threw a Super Bowl watch party for remote Alaskan miners. In addition to the Smirnoff announcement, parent brand Diageo will also be running some of its first Super Bowl commercials after Anheuser-Busch InBev ended a 33-year alcohol ad monopoly over game day advertising.