Dive Brief:
- Athletic Brewing Company, a brewer of nonalcoholic beer, launched a new campaign, “All In. All Game.,” timed to the fall football season, according to information shared with Marketing Dive.
- The campaign features chef and entrepreneur David Chang, who created five game day-inspired recipes intended to be paired with Athletic Brewing products. The effort is meant to highlight how consumers can still enjoy game day without the hangover.
- The brand has invested seven figures into its media plan to drive visibility during the football season. The investment covers CTV, streaming audio, podcasts and targeted digital placements. A social media initiative, “Athletic Hawker,” will accompany “All In. All Game.”
Dive Insight:
Athletic Brewing is making its play for football audiences with “All In. All Game.” The campaign is intended to show how nonalcoholic beer can be integrated into game day gatherings, expanding the product’s appeal. The move comes as nonalcoholic beer is on track to become the second-largest beer category globally this year as consumers look for better-for-you alternatives.
The CTV effort is meant to build on the brand’s “Living Athletic” campaign, which will debut a new 15-second spot in the fall. Another spot, “The Stadium,” features the character of Hawk, a stadium hawker selling Athletic beer, and will run on premium streaming platforms.
In a longer video, Hawk leaves the stadium to deliver Athletic to various venues alcoholic beer would typically be prohibited, such as at the beach, in parks and on paddle boats. The character will serve as the focus on the brand’s social media creative, which will support the larger “All In. All Game.” campaign. Outside of the CTV spots, Chang published five recipes on the brand’s website, along with suggested Athletic beer pairings.
“Whether you're enjoying our brews as a chaser, pacer, or replacer, they fit seamlessly into cultural moments like football season,” CMO Andrew Katz said in the press release. “Teaming up with David was a natural fit; he brings a chef's touch to game day, proving that great brews and bites belong at the center of the action.”
Nonalcoholic beer has become a focus for many brands as alcohol consumption continues to drop. Between 1997 to 2023, at least 60% of Americans consumed alcohol. However, that number has fallen to 54% by August, according to Gallup data. The drop is largely fueled by health concerns, with 53% of Americans saying even moderate drinking is harmful. Younger consumers are of increased likelihood to believe drinking is bad for you.
Athletic faces a crowded market dominated by big players. Notable examples are Heineken 0.0 and Peroni 0.0%, the latter of which is owned by beer giant Molson Coors.
