Beer companies have found plenty of creative ways to get noticed, but sponsorship deals remain one of the most effective marketing methods. Even in the digital age, logos emblazoned on the front of soccer shirts and on billboards still get lots of attention.
According to research by Sportcal, more than 50% of alcohol brands cite deals with sports teams as their preferred type of sponsorship. Also high on the list of marketing methods are deals with sports leagues and organizations.
Bud, Heineken, and Miller have become major players in this regard, brokering deals with the NFL, English soccer clubs, Formula 1, and NASCAR. This success of beer sponsorships in mainstream sports has inspired companies to branch out and make moves in niche activities.
Beer Makes a Splash in Poker
Poker is a great example of this. Whether you regard it as a sport or not, poker is a game of skill and hugely popular. The game’s biggest annual event is the World Series of Poker (WSOP). Such is the gravitas of this summer-long series of tournaments that the WSOP has its own poker site. As you can see from this WSOP poker review, the platform gives players a chance to enjoy the WSOP experience without risking any money. Players can ante up in Hold ’em and Omaha cash games, compete for virtual bracelets, and claim bonus offers.
The $10,000 Main Event takes place in Las Vegas every summer and attracts more than 10,000 entrants, welcoming players from over 114 countries. To say it’s a global spectacle would be an understatement, which is why Milwaukee’s Best Light struck up a relationship with the WSOP in 2006. Three years later, the two companies made a deal that’s still going strong today through various initiatives, such as Milwaukee’s Best Light Pocket Cam. The company subsequently found other ways to target poker fans, including a table sponsorship promotion.
Bud Light Goes Heavy on eSports Sponsorship Deals
Another arena beer companies have found a niche is eSports. Bud Light has sponsored various eSports teams over the last few years, including Evil Geniuses and Toronto Ultra. The beer brand has also buddied up to eSports competitions, the most notable of which was the Overwatch League. Like Milwaukee’s Best Light in poker, Bud Light’s branding was draped over players, banners, trophies, and digital coverage of the biggest eSports events.
It’s hard to know how much of an impact these sponsorship deals have had. What we can surmise, however, is that they’ve exposed new demographics to beer. The typical target group for beer companies over the years has been sports fans. We only have to think back to old Bud Light commercials ahead of the Super Bowl to see that.
Splashing Around in New Streams
Poker players and eSports aficionados aren’t necessarily the same type of sports fans. They may enjoy other sports, of course. However, poker is a world away from football, just as Overwatch isn’t much like baseball. This creates a different type of fan that beer companies want to target.
These fans love the competitive elements that go into sports contests, but they aren’t as fixated on the physical. Instead, they’re fans of the cerebral elements of sport and competition. Thus, while they’re still sports fans, they’re a different type of sports fan. That’s what we mean by poker and eSports sponsorships, which expose beer brands to new demographics.
Companies aren’t necessarily straying into completely uncharted waters. However, they are splashing around in new streams, which, in turn, has given them more opportunities for growth. In this regard, the deals have been a success. Where will we see the big beer brands pop up next? It’s a good question, and we’re looking forward to finding out the answer.
