Beer Marketer's Insights
Texas A&M Athletics announced new partnership deals with Molson Coors and Boston Beer beginning this 2023-24 season. Coors Light will be exclusive marketing partner for domestic beer while Twisted Tea will be its official FMB. MC replaces AB as official beer sponsor, which also means end of Houston-based Karbach Brewing's 12th Man Lager. A new Texas A&M-branded beer will be made by MC-owned and TX-based Revolver Brewing instead. More details on new brand to come. Deal provides MC and SAM "a fully integrated marketing partnership including access to Texas A&M marks, an engaging Aggie Fan Zone signage presence, and digital offerings." Release also gives shout out to local Bryan-TX based Kristen Dist Co which handles all its beer products, "including Dos Equis, which will continue its strong presence within Aggie athletics' events," per release. "This multi-year partnership will not only provide already great products to our fans but open new opportunities for the Molson Coors and Boston Beer families. Most importantly, we appreciate all three partners shared commitment to encourage fans to drink responsibly," said dir of athletics Ross Bjork.
Constellation is gearing up for big football campaigns with its two top brands, Modelo and Corona. Co "increased investment and fan engagement" for this yr's Modelo "Full-Time Fans" College Football campaign while Modelo continues to hold title as Official Beer Sponsor of the College Football Playoff. Two new 15-second spots debuted sticking with "The Mark of a Fighter" tagline, while also introducing chance for fans to win weekly cash prizes thru "an elevated retail program" that includes a $100K grand prize and trip to the 2024 College Football Playoff natl championship. Modelo also became Official Overtime Beer Sponsor of ESPN College Football, that will include a final TV spot of the commercial break "and a billboard segment in-stadium before game play restarts," per release. So Modelo will be featured on ESPN and Wrap UP Digital Live show on ESPN's YouTube page while fans watch highlights.
Mark Anthony ain't the only FMB player making moves in NAs. Boston Beer submitted labels to the TTB for new General Admission Brewing non-alcoholic fruit brew, a line of 0.5% ABV malt bevs with natural flavors from juice concentrate. Boston will launch the NA brand "in early 2024," a company spokesperson shared with INSIGHTS after My Beer Buzz dug up the labels this wk. Details still sparse at this stage. But brand comes in at 60 cals with 5g sugar and 13g carbs, per pkging (including Brewers Assn's "independent craft" seal). Labels approved for Lemon Lime, Orange Ovation and Grapefruit Groove flavors, to be brewed at co's Boston, MA, Milton, DE and Breinigsville, PA facilities. Gotta note, Boston previously had a more fruit-forward non-alc brew thru Dogfish Head Lemon Quest, but nixed that brand as it focused on Sam Adams non-alcs, which continue to post strong growth with Just the Haze IPA and new Gold Rush.
Simply Spiked +66% for 4 Wks but Lemonade Vty Pk Down 18%; Peach Vty Pk & Individual Flavors Growin'
Simply Spiked continues to grow strong double-digits while lapping last yr's launch in scans, but lead variety pk is now in double-digit decline. Indeed, Simply Spiked family $$ grew 66% for latest 4 wks thru Aug 13 in Circana multi-outlet + convenience channels, fueled almost entirely by incremental $6.1 mil from Simply Spiked Peach Variety Pk, which rose to #77 beer brand overall for period and remained #3 new brand in scans, plus Simply Spiked Signature Peach flavor adding $1.1 mil. Notably, other individual Simply Spiked flavors still growin' strong for 4 wks including Lemonade (+200%), Strawberry Lemonade (+85%) and Blueberry Lemonade (mostly incremental). But Simply Spiked Lemonade variety $$ slipped 18%, volume down 20% for 4 wks.
As some commentators have joked, there was nothing instant about long-awaited move by Instacart to file for IPO. But S-1 filing finally arrived on Fri and it contained an interesting twist for bev-watchers: one of CPG players co lists as close ally, PepsiCo, has agreed to purchase $175 mil of preferred shares via related private placement. SF-based co is proposing to trade under CART symbol on Nasdaq but is not yet at point of listing number of shares it intends to sell or at what price. (An expanded version of this article appeared in sibling pub Beverage Business Insights yesterday.)
Here's one we didn't see coming. As big NA cos increasingly invade alcohol spaces and cross-pollinate, makes sense that big alc cos might just return the favor. And so here comes White Claw NA. It's called White Claw 0% "non-alcoholic premium seltzer," comin' in 4 "full-flavor" variants at 15 calories per can with "hydrating electrolytes": black cherry cranberry, mango passion fruit, peach orange blossom and lime yuzu. White Claw 0% was the subject of a "last minute national conference call" with distributors yesterday, according to multiple sources. And this brand is coming soon to a theatre near you. Distributors will already be able to order in October, have it in their warehouses in December and begin selling it in January. Mark Anthony wants it to be on the shelf with NA beers and standalone displays, not with other White Claw alc bev products. And there will be a separate contract and investments for its NA brands.
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Another federal court rejected a bid by out-of-state retailers to pick apart 3-tier laws and ship directly to in-state consumers. New Jersey laws prohibiting such shipments are "valid exercises of the State's power under the Twenty-first Amendment and are justified by the legitimate nonprotectionist ground of promoting public health and safety, which, on these facts, cannot be adequately served by reasonable nondiscriminatory alternatives." So wrote fed district ct judge in NJ last wk, deciding dispute dating back to 2019. And that says it all in a nutshell.
Coors Light and Miller Lite are prepared "with a marketing blitz that includes new ads, packaging that highlights major partnerships, a suite of new retail tools and more," MC shared on its Beer & Beyond blog this morn. Lite has deals with 16 NFL teams and is doubling down on efforts "to own fantasy football." Lite will be featured prominently on the top fantasy football app from ESPN that reached "more than" 11 mil fans last season. Now fantasy football badge will also be displayed on secondary pkging of Lite pints, "in addition to packaging and display tools celebrating its 16 alliance teams across the NFL," per blog. Coors Light is extending sponsorship of ESPN's "College Gameday" program to its secondary pkging on 12 and 30 packs for first time, noted MC. Brand will also run new program named "Nothing Like Game Day" to celebrate "football rituals" like grilling, tailgating and watching with friends. To demonstrate its celebration of game day, Coors Light has intro'd limited quantities of "The Chill Throne," a luxury recliner avail at $750 bucks online. It comes with a cup holder, a tap handle to turn Coors Light cans into draught beer, a back massage, Bluetooth speakers, and an astroturf footrest among its amenities.
Not just beer having a tough year. Wine volume down 5% yr-to-date thru Aug 19 in NielsenIQ data, compared to beer down 3%. Gallo is far and away the #1 vintner, with 25.7 share of volume. But its volume down 7%. No wonder it's leaning into the runaway success of High Noon. Wine biz is tuff.