Five things to know about millennials

As the second-largest generation next to baby boomers, millennials are an important group for brands to reach. Yet the ways to influence this group remains a mystery to many brand-owners, according to The Hartman Group Inc. Therefore, the company posted five traits to keep in mind when trying to reach millennials:

1. Millennials are brand agnostic, meaning they do not have a relationship with the brands they buy.

2. Millennials believe technology has had a negative impact on social interaction and communication.

3. Typical product category use by millennials does not diverge greatly from other generations.

4. Millennials don’t want to be advertised “to;” they want to be advertised “with.”

5. Millennials are no more likely than older consumers to consider environmental concerns when shopping.

What flavor is your city? 

They say a picture is worth 1,000 words, but this month it could be worth a trip to Spain thanks to Pernod Ricard USA’s Campo Viejo Spanish wine brand. The brand recently launched its Capture the Vibrancy contest, which challenges aspiring photographers and wine enthusiasts to capture the vivacity of American cities by taking a photo that best embodies the flavor of their cities.  Photos can be submitted to Campo Viejo’s Facebook page through April 30, and fans have the opportunity to vote for their favorite photos online within 10 days of the entry being posted. Ten finalists will be determined by voting on or before May 16, with the grand prize winner announced at the end of May. The grand prize includes round-trip airfare and a five-day stay for two in Rioja, Spain, a VIP tour of the winery, and a professional photography class during their stay in the region.

Coors Light hits the slopes

Through a partnership with K2 Sports, MillerCoors’ Coors Light and Coors Banquet brands are giving fans of legal drinking age the chance to win a variety of prizes that will make their skiing or snowboarding experiences even more memorable. Through text-to-win promotions in select markets and through the
Coors Light Facebook page, fans can enter to win trips to Kamp K2 in Washington, special dual-branded merchandise, and cold-activated skis and snowboards that turn blue when it’s the perfect temperature for hitting the slopes, Coors says.

The promotion runs through April 30.

Keep to the code

Sidney Frank Importing Co.’s Jägermeister brand
partnered with boxing trainer and Hall of Famer Freddie Roach to launch the “A Brother In Your Corner” social responsibility campaign. The promotion highlights awareness of knowing when it’s better to sit out a round than have another drink. It also features a competition component in which fans of legal drinking age can submit their stories about how they live by the “Jäger Code” of always having “A Brother in Your Corner.” The grand prize winner, which will be announced the week of April 21, will receive a trip for four to Las Vegas for training and dinner with Roach, boxing tickets and VIP access to an exclusive party. 

The ‘Xen’ of MMA

Xyience Xenergy, the official energy drink of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), inked a one-year endorsement contract with former UFC light heavyweight champion and UFC Hall of Fame member Chuck Liddell. The 43-year-old mixed martial arts athlete (MMA) will appear in the brand’s advertising, on its website and in its point-of-purchase materials, it says. Liddell also will appear in a series of unique promotions later this year, it adds.

Roasting an adventure

In honor of its 20th anniversary, Kansas City, Mo.’s air-roasted coffee company, The Roasterie, launched The Roasterie Adventure, a photo contest in which participants can win a trip for two for coffee bean-picking in Costa Rica. Participants are challenged to submit a photo that portrays the Roasterie brand in everyday life and then encourage friends and family to vote for their photos.  The Roasterie staff, including Bean Baron Danny O’Neill, will select a final winner from 15 semifinalists in July.

Taking the field

MillerCoors’ Miller Lite brand is keeping its head in the game with two renewed multi-year sponsorships for both Major League Baseball’s Milwaukee Brewers and the NFL’s Chicago Bears. As part of the partnership with the Brewers, the duo created the Miller Lite Party Deck, a 1,400-square-foot, 70-seat deck built above the Miller Park right field Loge Bleachers that opened this season. The Party Deck also features a new fixed bar, a buffet counter and flat-panel TVs and is available for groups to reserve for Brewers home games. As a “Chicago Bears Hall of Fame Partner,” Miller Lite renewed its sponsorship of the Miller Lite Party Deck and Miller Lite Ultimate Tailgate area at Soldier Field in Chicago, among other partnership benefits.

Ready for action

The Macallan single malt Scotch whisky brand partnered with Oakley Inc. to create a rugged flask for on-the-go consumers. The Flask is designed to protect the whisky inside from almost any environmental challenge, the company says. Clad in black anodized five-axis-machined aerospace-grade aluminum, The Flask also features a rubberized bottom, a non-skid grip, and a small rectangular air vent for ventilation, it says. Underneath is an inner flask, which is made of food-grade steel and wrapped in carbon fiber composite that is laser welded and treated to an intensive passivation and electro-polishing procedure to ensure quality protection, it adds. Only 550 limited editions of The Flask with an accompanying bottle of the 22-year-old whisky are available, with a suggested retail price of $1,500.