INTEGRATED NFL ACTIVATION FOR OFFICIAL BEER SPONSOR.

THE SITUATION

Bud Light had just inked a 7-year, 1.2 billion-with-a-“B” dollar deal to become the official beer of the NFL. Our team was asked to launch the official NFL partnership with digital, broadcast and retail promotions.

We needed to take the passion that fans have for the NFL and make it actionable. Make consumers understand that Bud Light gets what is great about football, and that we love it, too!

THE SOLUTION

Integrated season-long campaign touched consumers through Broadcast, social media and retail/bar promotions.

 

  • BROADCAST:
    - “DEAR NFL FOOTBALL” campaign was love letter from Bud Light to then NFL about what makes the game so great for fans.
    - “YOU CALL IT” Sunday Night Football program asked fans to predict the first play of the fourth quarter in order to win amazing NFL prizes, including Super Bowl tickets.
     
  • DIGITAL: “THE HUDDLE” Facebook program  social community for NFL fans to come and discuss their favorite thing – football. We gamefied the process by awarding digital bobble heads, badges and other prizes to heavy users.
     
  • RETAIL: We offered consumers exclusive NFL experiences and trips, offering them access to places money couldn’t buy, like an NFL Fan Camp competition. Plus customized team-color "Fan Cans" for most NFL markets.

THE RESULTS

  • At the conclusion of the campaign, Bud Light brand health peaked at an all time high, a height it has not seen with subsequent changes in creative direction and changing consumers tastes.
  • 60,000 consumers created a Huddle account on Budlight.com
  • More than 500,000 consumers visited the site during the playoff weekends to participate in the You Call It program. 

WHAT I LEARNED 

  • The value of being flexible with your creative vision, and knowing when to cut bait on an idea for something better.  giving up on an idea. The original scripts featured talent giving lines directly to camera over a classic rock-style original power ballad. It was funny! But not right. Even with Michael Bolten doing a voice over.
  • The power of the NFL - consumers routinely crashed the A-B server with during the "You Call It" Sunday Night Football promotion.
  • The importance of collaboration with a sponsor, and getting buy-in early. By showing the NFL representatives that we understood and respected their creative concerns early on, we were able to have a smooth approval process.