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Molson Coors Makes Keystone Light Its Lead NASCAR Brand


KEYSTONE

Molson Coors is switching its lead brand in NASCAR from Miller Lite to Keystone Light as it looks to compete with fellow value category entry Busch Beer. Molson Coors has been a partner of Team Penske for more than three decades and used to sponsor most of the season on the No. 2 Ford driven by Brad Keselowski with a blue paint scheme. The company is now down to just one primary and several associates annually -- this year at the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend. With Keystone Light already well known, Molson Coors Dir of Sports & Entertainment Marketing Adam Dettman has started to focus with this deal on forms of activation that relate more to its core product. Among the ways it will activate include giving away 15 packs of Keystone Light in qualifying markets via a rebate that Keselowski and the Keystone Light social channels will promote with the tagline: “Your next round is on Brad and Keystone Light.” It will promote that offer with paid social promotions starting this week through the day before the Daytona 500 on Feb. 14. Keystone will also have an in-store retail promotion in grocery and convenience stores. This will be Molson Coors’ 11th season with Keselowski.

PUTTING FOCUS ON OTHER BRAND: Dettman said that Molson Coors is making this switch in part because Miller Lite already is being activated in several other sports and entertainment deals. The move for Keystone Light will “shine a light on it, give it a tentpole and allow it to stand out.” Still, the move does come as A-B InBev’s Busch Beer brand has been activating in NASCAR with little competition from economy- or value-brand beers since it changed from Budweiser in ‘15. Molson Coors also has a partnership in motorsports with Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where it deploys different brands across the property including by sponsoring the Indy 500 infield EDM concert called the Coors Light Snake Pit. Dettman: “You’ve got to try to identify what value you can bring to fans and how you can engage them; the paint scheme is one means certainly.” He added, “In moving to Keystone, our commitment is still there and we want to be part of that motorsports occasion and part of that passionate beer drinking occasion.”