White Plains, N.Y.-based Heineken announced that its imported Mexican beer, Dos Equis, is once again the Official Beer Sponsor of the College Football Playoff. Each week from August through December, the brand is giving football fans and beer drinkers the chance to win tickets to the College Football Playoff National Championship. Beer drinkers can expect Dos Equis to make the legendary a little more interesante this football season, as the brand will deliver fun and authentic content while giving the fans a chance to live once-in-a-lifetime experiences, it says.
“Dos Equis shoppers are 51 percent more likely to buy Dos Equis for sports viewing and are 29 percent more likely to attend college football games,” Dos Equis Brand Director Karla Flores said in a statement. “This season-long promotion keeps fans engaged with a chance to win tickets every single week to the College Football Playoff National Championship in January 2019. Beer drinkers who show a passion for Dos Equis and a passion for college football can snap a picture of a Dos Equis and text keyword XXFAN to 77000 to have a shot at these weekly prizes.”
In 2017, for the second consecutive year, Equis Lager experienced double-digit growth in the College Football Playoff and New Year’s six markets as more than 28 million viewers watched the bowl games, averaging 15 million viewers per game. Retailers can be certain the games will be high-profile and Dos Equis drinkers will be enjoying the action, the company says.
The brand also will embark upon an integrated marketing campaign featuring “The Interesante History of College Football” to be included in 15- and 30-second TV spots starring college football legends Steve Spurrier and Les Miles. Another PR campaign will be centered on an exhibit at the College Football Hall of Fame during the opening weekend of the 2018 college football season. The glorious moments from the complete timeline of college football unfold from “The Ear Beer,” a bottle that from the front looks like a frosty Dos Equis but on the back has a speaker, along with a button to start the experience. These special “Ear Beers” will narrate the ‘interesante’ version of college football history as told by Coach Spurrier.
Activation off- and on-premise will drive displays and features and includes cross-merchandising partnerships with Dr Pepper and Eckrich to bring customers a total shopper solution, limited-edition packaging to highlight the sponsorship, localized point-of-sale featuring College Football Hall of Fame artifacts and local colors to resonate with consumers in key markets, as well as custom tap toppers for more than 28k handles across the U.S.
Passion for college football makes Dos Equis the right beer to kick off sales and profits with features and displays throughout the upcoming season, the company says.
