NFL sponsor Diageo’s vodka brand Smirnoff is leveraging the tie-up by hosting a Super Bowl LVI watch party for a group of gold miners 100 miles north of Anchorage (Alaska) as the centrepiece of a campaign called ‘No Fan Left Behind’.
After commissioning research which found that 2% of UJS football fans are unable to watch the game, Smirnoff committed itself to a ‘no fan behind’ project led by the remote miners party.
In order to bring fans what they ‘really wanted’, Smirnoff launched an independent research study where 1000 NFL fans (21+) shared their opinions and thoughts with Smirnoff ahead of Super Bowl LVI.
As well as discovering that vodka is indeed a popular spirit for game days (typically with a juice mixer), the research found that 61% of football fans will celebrate after a win, 55% will celebrate after a loss and 82% of fans watch with food – but 2% of football fans would not be able to watch the Super Bowl this year.
“As a brand for our people, we believed that even two percent of football fans missing the Super Bowl was too many,” explained Jennifer Holiday Hudson, Director Of North America For Smirnoff Vodka and Trademark Leader at Diageo. “It’s one of the biggest and most watched moments of the entire year so we felt a responsibility to do our part in finding a fun solution to ensure no football fan is left behind and have the best experience possible.”
So this began Smirnoff’s search for die-hard football fans who were unable to experience the game for one reason or another.
“We found that one group affected was a company of hard-working, football-loving, gold miners in the frozen tundra of Alaska who do not have access to The Big Game given their remote location,” continued Hudson. “From there, the idea sprung to life based around how Smirnoff as a brand could bring game day essentials to their snow-covered base camp to help them tune in live, in style.”
Smirnoff initially surprised the miners two weeks ahead of the Super Bowl with a Zoom call fronted by former Super Bowl Champion Vernon Davis who told them that Smirnoff was going to make sure they were able to see the game in style.
The Alaskan shin-dig will offer premium game access and sees Smirnoff fit out the miners’ break room with a new television, a sound system, catering, plus Big Game supplies including Smirnoff based cocktails.
The activation was promoted through a hero film which dropped across the brand’s online platforms on 7 February called ‘Smirnoff Is Going to the Alaskan Wilderness in Our Quest to Leave No Football Fan Behind This Year’ which introduces the mining crew and the brand party.
Smirnoff’s activation also included a raffle for 56 other ‘Super Bowl Watch Party Kits’, as well as a series of ‘Surprise Smirnoff Super Bowl Drops’ to essential workers in the Los Angeles area (LA’s SoFi Stadium will host this year’s NFL showpiece on 13 February). This will see ambassador Davis and Smirnoff surprise essential workers throughout Los Angeles with nourishing meals in partnership with World Central Kitchen (WCK).
In addition to the watch party, Smirnoff is also running a text-to-win promotion between 2 and 6 February to win 56 party boxes to celebrate Super Bowl LVI by texting “FOOTBALL” to 24272 to enter.
The boxes include 21 ‘game day essentials’ chosen based on answers collected in the survey and which will include Smirnoff No 21, football-centric decorations, themed cocktail recipes, snack and Super Bowl gear.
Last call! Win the ultimate homegating kit of 21 fan favorites. Text FOOTBALL to 24272 to enter. U.S 21+ only. Ends 2/6/22. Msg & Data Rates May Apply. See https://t.co/Q5xX1uPtBT for rules, inc. non-text entry. NO PURCH NEC. Void AK/HI. #SmirnoffForThePeople #NoFanLeftBehind pic.twitter.com/GsaYUNQUWu
— Smirnoff US (@SmirnoffUS) February 6, 2022
Win the Ultimate Watch Party Box packed w/ 21 fan-voted gameday favorites. Text FOOTBALL to 24272 to enter. U.S 21+ only. Ends 2/6/22. Msg & Data Rates May Apply. See https://t.co/Q5xX1uPtBT for rules, inc. non-text entry. NO PURCH NEC. Void AK/HI. #SmirnoffForThePeople pic.twitter.com/Ctax3i0SaX
— Smirnoff US (@SmirnoffUS) February 5, 2022
“We wanted to do something unexpected and fun,” added Hudson. “Instead of running a Super Bowl advertisement we really wanted to bring the game to the people.”
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Despite being the official spirits sponsor of the NFL, Diageo is unable to advertise during the Super Bowl – as brewing giant and long-time NFL partner Anheuser-Busch InBev holds exclusive alcohol marketing rights during the event.
So this Alaska watch party and giveaway boxes activation enables Smirnoff to be part of the Super Bowl action and to leverage its NFL tie-up without actually advertising during the game itself.
This campaign is Smirnoff’s first NFL activation after it became the league’s first official vodka sponsor in 2021 as part of parent company Diageo’s multi-product, Multi-year NFL partnership which was penned in June 2021 (and which, for the 2022 Big Game, also includes Captain Morgan rum’s ‘Super Bowl Punch Bowl’ campaign).
The remote Alaskan party and Super Bowl giveaway boxes are the latest marketing initiatives in Smirnoff’s new NFL marketing plan and follow on from the brand’s recent run of a series of TV spots starring ‘Black-ish’ star Anthony Anderson which see the actor make Smirnoff-based cocktails for friends which rename classic drinks with ‘tougher’ new names – eg a ‘screwdriver’ becomes a ‘fourth down driver’ (click to view).
Smirnoff also activated its team partnership with Super Bowl ‘home team’ the Los Angeles Rams.
The Super Bowl activation programme is an extension of Smirnoff’s ‘Vodka for the People’ platform which launched in August 2021 and which focuses on highlighting inclusivity and moments that bring us together and was also activated through the brand’s other partnerships such as its James Bond tie-up.
Tap into your inner agent pic.twitter.com/38ugzzyhzL
— Smirnoff US (@SmirnoffUS) September 4, 2021
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