Michelob Ultra Celebrates Father’s Day
By Steve Holtz on Jun. 12, 2018CHICAGO -- Anheuser-Busch’s new Father’s Day campaign for Michelob Ultra will tug at consumers’ heart strings across the country.
Here’s a look at the campaign that launched June 11 and 10 other beverage promotions driving sales …
Photo courtesy of Anheuser-Busch.
1. Michelob Ultra
Americans are expected to spend about $15.5 billion to celebrate dad this Father’s Day, and 47% of men expect to receive a gift from someone other than a wife, partner, significant other or friend, according to Statista data shared by Anheuser-Busch, showing there’s an increase in recognizing the many men (and women) who play that role today.
In celebration of the impact of these nontraditional “dads,” Michelob Ultra has created an emotional film titled Dear #UltraDad, that enabled three real people to pay tribute to their father figures, in addition to a new partnership with Up2Us, a national nonprofit organization that trains and supports coaches to become positive and impactful mentors in communities nationwide.
The real people featured in the film include:
- Brooke Carrel and stepfather David Terpstra – Brooke Carrel, mother of three from Long Island, expresses her love for her stepfather who taught her life lessons such as how to drive and pick the right apartment to now being an amazing pa to her three young sons.
- Mary Callahan and dance teacher Lloyd Callahan – Dancer Mary Callahan thanks her dance coach and mentor for providing her guidance while always challenging and pushing her to succeed.
- Dale Moss and basketball coach Brent Decker – Fitness influencer and former NFL player Dale Moss shares how his high school basketball coach shaped him into the man he is today and gave him hope and strength when his mother passed away
Photo courtesy of Anheuser-Busch.
2. Gatorade
PepsiCo's Gatorade launched a new international campaign titled "Everything Changes," as well as the brand's first sport-specific product, Gatorade Football Energy.
The Gatorade "Everything Changes" campaign focuses on the shift that takes place when soccer club teammates become rivals. The TV advertisement features the storyline of FC Barcelona players Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, who are best friends and train together until it's time to play against each other. While their respective objectives change, fueling with Gatorade does not. The integrated campaign also features Brazilian National Team superstar and Manchester City striker, Gabriel Jesus.
The campaign will run in several Latin American countries, Western Europe, Asia, Mexico and the United States. It will extend beyond TV to print, digital and social media, point-of-sale and more.
Gatorade also has developed its first sport-specific product, Gatorade Football Energy. Gatorade Football Energy was developed for soccer players from amateur to professional levels and has a combination of carbohydrates, electrolytes and fluid, specifically for soccer players, the company said. The product is available to all U.S. athletes on Gatorade.com and will be available in retail outlets in Mexico and Brazil in 2018 before launching in other Latin American countries. The new product comes in three flavors: Lemon, Mango and Orange.
Photo courtesy of Mike Mozart.
3. Heineken
Heineken beer is kicking off the 2018 season of the International Champions Cup (ICC) with a retail sweepstakes with exclusive prizes, all geared to drive in-store traffic and encourage purchase, the White Plains, N.Y.-based company said. As the exclusive beer sponsor of ICC, Heineken aims to elevate game-day drinking for the professional soccer competition.
National and regional POS materials will drive the connection between Heineken and the ICC viewing occasion to attract more shoppers, maximize basket rings, and drive conversion and incremental drinking occasions, the company said. A sweepstakes offering consumers a chance to win exclusive prizes and experiences, including “Fan of the Match,” will be augmented by media running throughout the ICC season to deliver billions of consumer impressions.
Meanwhile, Heineken, as the official beer sponsor of Major League Soccer, is helping consumers choose a new team to cheer for this summer. With the U.S. men’s national soccer team out of international competition, Heineken is offering consumers limited-edition scarves to cheer on the teams that remain.
From late May through August, Heineken's "Raise Your Scarf" promotion is intended to increase Heineken features and displays to maximize retail sales and profits. POS can be leveraged to attract consumers, drive conversion, maximize basket rings and drive incremental drinking occasions.
Heineken is also embracing its fun side with a new campaign that makes the beer the life of the party. The “Cheers to the Unexpected” campaign “leans into the celebratory occasions and true reasons why people enjoy beer: Connecting with friends and enjoying the moments you never knew would happen.” The series of TV commercials, digital spots and outdoor branding is the first marketing campaign with new Heineken USA Chief Marketing Officer Jonnie Cahill at the helm.
Photo courtesy of Heineken USA.
4. Bud Light
Anheuser-Busch's Bud Light introduced three new commercials from its Dilly Dilly kingdom, embracing the summer season and the World Cup.
"Spyglass" features the Dilly Dilly King overlooking the realm and observing prisoners escaping the Pit of Misery, the kidnapping of his beloved wizard and loyal subjects drinking new Bud Light innovations, Bud Light Lime and Bud Light Orange, in the orchard.
"Attack" is the hero piece of content for Bud Light’s “Royal Getaway” consumer giveaway, featuring the kingdom being invaded by large ships. As the King prepares to defend the realm, the Queen playfully reminds the King that the guests are winners of the Royal Getaway contest.
And in "Early Game,” friends of Oracle Susana set up to watch the games in her crystal ball. This spot has been created in both English and Spanish to expand the reach of the Dilly Dilly campaign.
Photo courtesy of Anheuser-Busch.
5. Mike's Hard Lemonade
Mike's Hard Lemonade Co. launched a limited-edition lemonade six-pack and sponsorship of regional pop-up experiences to celebrate and amplify happiness across the nation, the Chicago-based company said. The pop-up experiences are conducted by and for the benefit of DTLA Film Festival, a nonprofit organization. Designed to spark laughter and inspire good times, each new six-pack has a Snapchat Snapcode that unlocks a comedic world where people can tell their funniest jokes and enter to win the Mike's Hard Lemonade Happy Weekend Giveaway.
Photo courtesy of Myke2020.
6. Newcastle Brown Ale
White Plains, N.Y.-based Heineken USA's Newcastle Brown Ale has released a series of grilling recipes in partnership with "MasterChef" Season 7 champion Shaun O’Neale. To jump-start the summer grilling season, O’Neale has created 10 signature grilling recipes that incorporate Newcastle Brown Ale, from savory dishes like smoked brisket and oyster Rockefeller to sweet indulgences like bread pudding and ice cream. Each recipe complements the flavor and slightly sweet caramel finish that is the hallmark of Newcastle Brown Ale, according to the brewer, and were created with the home chef in mind to offer a mix of simple, out-of-the-box recipes.
At retail, custom designed POS materials including case cards, recipe cards, aprons and Newcastle Brown Ale-branded barbecue grills will encourage consumers to grab a pack of Newcastle Brown Ale to enjoy while whipping up his signature grilling recipes.
Photo courtesy of Heineken USA.
7. Poland Spring Sparkling Water
Nestle Waters North America's Poland Spring bottled water brand launched a new TV spot in May. “Just What’s Refreshingly Real” takes place in nature and focuses on what sparkling-water drinkers in the Northeast are looking for.
“Poland Spring has been around since 1845 and the brand has such a strong connection with our fans that we felt the best way to introduce our sparkling water was to embrace our heritage and values,” said Rosa Veliz, brand manager for Nestle Waters' regional spring water brands. “Product source is as important to our consumers as it is to us. There are a lot of new sparkling water brands out there creating a lot of hype, but we believe in real, simple ingredients, like 100% natural spring water—not image or gimmicks.”
Similar TV spots and digital content are planned for Stamford, Conn.-based Nestle Waters' other regional sparkling brands, as well: Deer Park in the mid-Atlantic and South, Zephyrhills in Florida, Ozarka in the Southwest, Ice Mountain in the Midwest and Arrowhead in California.
Photo courtesy of Mike Mozart.
8. Budweiser
Anheuser-Busch’s Budweiser has launched an effort to make Bud the first beer on Mars.
At Budweiser, we believe that space exploration isn’t just about discovering something new, but also discovering humanity, the company said. The brewer has begun the process of creating a microgravity beer by sending barley, one of Bud’s main ingredients, to space on a SpaceX mission.
To promote the effort, Budweiser created a 2-minute video narrated by astronaut Clay Anderson and focused on its commitment to bring humanity (and beer) to the Red Planet.
“A mission years (likely decades) in the making, Budweiser believes life in space deserves to be filled with the same enjoyments available here on earth, including beer, and is looking forward to taking its first steps towards this new ambition,” the company said.
Photo courtesy of Anheuser-Busch.
9. Essentia Water
Essentia, a pioneer of ionized alkaline water in the United States, launched its second iteration of its fully integrated “overachieving” brand campaign. The campaign will continue driving broad awareness and visibility for the brand on a national scale by expanding focus from three to seven priority markets, including Los Angeles, New York City, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Dallas, Seattle and Portland.
This year’s creative is tailored to each market, celebrating an overachieving lifestyle by speaking to the universal human desire to be the best version of yourself so you can get the most out of life. The campaign will broaden usage of interactive elements such as the use of Snap codes on all ground-level creative so that consumers can virtually engage with unique video content. Essentia Water LLC is based in Bothell, Wash.
Photo courtesy of Devries Global.
10. Red Stripe
Five Points Trading Co.'s Red Stripe beer will leverage the brand’s global reggae platform through its “Escape to Jamaica” sweepstakes program, which will send five legal drinking age consumers and a guest to Reggae SumFest in Montego Bay from July 20 through 24. Throughout the U.S., consumers will be prompted to enter for the chance to win via retail and on-premise POS elements, as well as through the brand’s Facebook and Instagram social channels. Red Stripe is imported to the United States by Five Points Trading Co., a division of Heineken USA.
Photo courtesy of Five Points Trading Co.
11. Highland Brewing Co.
Highland Brewing Co. has entered into a sponsorship with runner Pete Ripmaster, the champion of this year’s Iditarod Trail Invitational 1,000-mile race. Highland Brewing’s sponsorship of Ripmaster will cover his entry fees for The Arrowhead 135 race in Minnesota and some local races, including Highland Brewing’s own 2018 Night Flight race. Highland Brewing Co. is a craft-beer brewer based in Asheville, N.C.
Photo courtesy of Highland Brewing Co.