Miller Lite Has ‘Big, Bold’ Campaign on Tap for Retailers

Want to establish your store as THE destination for your customers’ 2014 summer beer + food occasions? Celebrity Chef Guy Fieri and Miller Lite are the dynamic duo primed to help you do just that.

Why Guy Fieri? According to Matt Dzarnowski, MillerCoors Director of Channel Marketing, Liquor & Large Format, a high level of brand affinity exists between Miller Lite and the accomplished chef, specifically where summer grilling is concerned. The highly recognized Fieri – host of Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” – represents “Americana,” while great tasting Miller Lite stands up to bold food and pairs perfectly with foods everyone enjoys when entertaining during warm weather months.

“The idea is not only about delivering a message – it is a bigger idea that revolves around beer, food and celebrating summer occasions,” Dzarnowski says. “It is all about making our retailers a destination for summer grilling and helping our shoppers go beyond the normal barbeque with the big, bold recipes that Guy Fieri is known for. Guy and Miller Lite create a compelling partnership that will combine big flavors along with the original light beer – one that pairs perfectly with summer.”

The Creative Components

When putting together the 2014 plan, MillerCoors wanted a program that would give consumers creative ways to enhance summertime friend- and family-entertaining events. The solution: the company brought Fieri on board to develop 20 food and beer recipes as well as menu suggestions that pair well with or contain Miller Lite. According to Dzarnowski, the program is designed to deliver value to retailers and shoppers, and ultimately to drive beer sales.

“We will engage shoppers throughout the path to purchase with compelling video content delivered on tablets, mobile devices, in-store displays and social media activations,” he explains.

That unique approach will give retailers access to content from Miller Lite, which can be easily posted on their companies’ websites to share with shoppers and in turn, drive traffic to their stores. The easy-access content will include recipes and short videos featuring cooking demonstrations and grilling tips presented by Fieri.

Impactful Displays Fuel Inspiration

Meanwhile, in-store point of sale will feature what Dzarnowski calls “impactful display solutions,” which will provide inspiration on ways to add more flavor to traditional grilling items, and in the process enable customers to build their baskets with fresh summer recipe ideas.

Retailers will be able to build consumer-enticing displays with Miller-provided POS materials including an adjustable case stacker, Guy Fieri standee, cooler door decals, display case cards with recipe take-ones, floor decals, a pallet stand up and a pole topper.

“Retailers can use recipes to help drive key initiatives for their stores,” Dzarnowski says. “For example, if there is a special on chicken, they use the beer can chicken recipe to drive purchase...and it will help us get incremental beer on the floor/displays.”

Media Support

To kick off the Miller Lite-Guy Fieri program, the chef will appear on morning and late night talk shows this spring to discuss the partnership and demonstrate how to grill his favorite recipes made or paired with Miller Lite. Radio interviews plus recipe and cooking tip placements in relevant cooking publications are also part of the public relations push.

Beginning May 1, digital media will drive traffic to Grillwithguy.com. Ads on popular food sites and monthly geo-targeted social media posts from Fieri also will play important roles in driving sales by reminding shoppers to get their grills going and to include Miller Lite when they do.

With competition for consumer dollars on the rise, Dzarnowski says retailers should be excited about the new program, and welcome the chance to entice shoppers with this multi-faceted, celebrity-endorsed promotion.

“This program brings value to both shoppers and retailers. For retailers, we’re providing tools and content to engage their shopper throughout the path to purchase and help them build the basket once their shoppers are in store,” he explains. “This isn’t just a POS exercise – this is a big, bold program that leverages a nationally known celebrity chef, digital media and video content, PR and in-store tactics to drive total store sales during key summer holidays.”

While it will initially heat up beer sales from May through August, the Miller Lite/Guy Fieri promotion is not a summer-only event. Instead, it will extend into prime football tailgating season this fall, with promotional support planned to drive beer sales and increase basket size from September through October.

The bottom line? Miller Lite and Guy Fieri create a “dynamic duo” you can tap to drive shoppers to your store. By leveraging this creative Miller Lite brand positioning, you can convince customers to combine beer + food to create “Miller Time” with their friends, make your store THE summer destination for beer purchases, and ultimately boost your bottom line thanks to sizzling beer sales.

NOTE: Due to state alcohol beverage tied-house laws, this promotion is not offered in California Stores.