Corona, the Official Cerveza of Major League Baseball (MLB), invites fans to savour the thrill of MLB Opening Day through a new season sweepstakes campaign – fronted by athlete ambassadors Nick Castellanos and Fernando Tatís Jr – that also sets out to help fans mark the occasion with a day off.
The digital-first initiative, from agency from MullenLowe, sees the Grupo Modelo brand (itself owned by Belgian brewing giant Anheuser-Busch InBev) encourage baseball fans – aged 21 and older of course – to take a day off work and enjoy the excitement of Opening Day with a refreshing Corona Extra.
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The partnership awareness, part list-building initiative sees a set of social content incentivize adult fans and drinkers to follow @CoronaUSA on Instagram and tag their boss in the comments of a designated post in order to being automitcally entered into the ‘Opening Day Off Sweepstakes’ for a chance to win giveaways.
The prizes include various Corona products, a complimentary one-year subscription to MLB.TV, or tickets to selected, personalised home opening games.
Fronted by star slugger and Corona athlete ambassador Nick Castellanos and fellow endorser and San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatís Jr, the campaign is spearheaded by a 60-second social spot starring the Philadelphia Phillies’ right fielder who, while sat at an office desk on the pitchers mound, offers to send a message to everyone’s bosses asking for a day off.
“They want me to tell you your employee wants to take off work on opening day,” says Castellanos. “People work on opening day?” replies Tatís Jr. Before Castellanos tells bosses that if they’re tagged in the video, it means their employees have intentions of clocking out during the start of the MLB season. The player then begins knocking down items on his desk, while the screen shows the many things their employee won’t be doing during Opening Day (such as taking calls, reading emails and touching base).
Following this, El Niño hits a cellphone out of the park and hits the audience with the facts and explains the benefits of watching baseball, like making people happy and networking with other baseball fans.
Castellanos closes the spot by reassuring bosses that their employees will be back, “but March 28, that’s a baseball day”.
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As well as the sweepstakes, which runs from 6 to 13 March, fans will be encouraged to connect with Corona on social media in order to stay updated on the latest brand/MLB news and promotions.
“Opening Day deserves to be enjoyed in the finest way possible: with an ice-cold Corona in hand. As the Official Cerveza of Major League Baseball, Corona is proud to champion the fans who never lose, and reward those who live in the moment to take the day off.”
Corona Director of Brand Marketing Saúl Trejo
“The idea came from just being baseball fans ourselves, and the frustration of missing Opening Day, year after year, because we’re busy working. So we thought it would be fun to have people openly admit they need the day off to watch baseball—which felt very much in line with the ‘fine life’ mentality that Corona wants people to embrace.”
MullenLowe Los Angeles Creative Directors Ricky Johanet and Jordan Sparrow
The 2024 season marks the start of the beer brand’s third year of its MLB partnership and, as well as the Opening Day promotional work, throughout the season fans will find Corona featured in select stadiums nationwide, enjoy custom content on MLB platforms and participate in major events like All-Star Week.
It follows on from last season’s Opening Day campaign.