Stella Artois lifts curtain on private Broadway performance contest

Dive Brief:

Stella Artois is offering people a chance to see a livestreamed performance of songs from the musical "Jagged Little Pill." Stars from the Broadway show will form the "Stella Artois Chalice Choir" in a live performance on Dec. 21 for one winner of the beer brand's social media contest, per a press release.
The Anheuser-Busch InBev brew is asking fans to follow its @StellaArtois Twitter account and reply to its announcement of the contest with a tweet that tags three friends and includes hashtags #ChaliceChoir and #Giveaway for a chance to win the exclusive livestream. "Jagged Little Pill" performers Lauren Patten, Sean Allan Krill and Elizabeth Stanley will appear in the virtual show.
As the pandemic keeps New York City's theaters closed, Stella Artois will donate $15,000 to the United States Bartenders Foundation's Bartenders Emergency Assistance Program to help bartenders in local theaters facing financial hardship, per the release.

Dive Insight:

The "Stella Artois Chalice Choir" contest could raise brand awareness on social media among Broadway fans, while helping theater bartenders who have lost work by the pandemic. The health crisis has made many people reluctant to gather in theaters, while city and state officials in New York enacted rules requiring smaller venues to drastically limit their seating capacity. In response, Broadway's theater industry in March suspended all plays and musicals, and their reopening plans have been in flux ever since.

By offering a chance for people to see a virtual performance of songs from "Jagged Little Pill," a show based on the music of singer Alanis Morissette, Stella Artois can reach fans of musical theater who are stuck at home during the holidays. "Jagged Little Pill" in October received 15 Tony Award nominations, the most for any musical during a season that was cut short because of the pandemic. Stella Artois' livestream will be held on Dec. 21, which is typically the busiest night for Broadway as people flock to New York's theater district to see shows during the holidays, according to the company.

Stella Artois has been active in the past year with reimagined campaigns targeting younger consumers, who aren't going out to bars and restaurants during the pandemic, with a particular focus on at-home experiential activations. The brand in August created a virtual Hotel Artois at Home experience to provide the services of a five-star hotel to homebound consumers. Stella Artois also partnered with travel site Tripadvisor to transform canceled vacations into memorable staycations, and ran a "Summer Like You're On Vacation" campaign that urged people to turn ordinary moments into something special with a beverage.

With many people connecting through social media, the brand last month introduced a set of customized digital stickers from messaging tech company Holler that people can share in their Venmo payments with friends.