Dive Brief:

• Babe Wine, the brand of sparkling canned wine marketed by AB InBev, sold out of its "Election Night Survival Kit" to help ease the anxiety of waiting for results to be announced on Nov. 3. The brand's website sold the curated box of items for $29.99 on its website, per an announcement emailed to Marketing Dive.
• Each survival kit includes a stress ball to squeeze, tissues, a pillow with the words "scream here" on the front, a bottle of "Polls Closing. Bottles Opening" red wine and a four-pack of Babe Rosé to sip on election night. Babe Wine's website said to check back on Monday, Oct. 26, for more preorder sales.
• Babe's branded merchandise and wine offering taps into anxiety around Election Day, taking a playful approach while other brands have focused on encouraging consumers to register and vote.

Dive Insight:

Babe Wine's "Election Night Survival Kit" appears to have been a popular item, judging from the "sold out" notice on its website. Interest in this year's election is the highest in years, leading many brands to develop campaigns that either urge people to vote or parlay public interest in the election into their marketing efforts. More than 150 million people are forecast to cast a ballot this year — or 65% of eligible voters, the highest since 1908 — according to U.S. Elections Project data cited by Reuters. That heightened awareness helps brands like Babe Wine in their election-themed campaigns.

The demand for the limited-edition box of items is a sign of how branded merchandise continues to be popular among younger adults. A variety of brands have developed branded merchandise to tap into cultural trends and to stay relevant among younger consumers. Most recently, Reckitt Benckiser's Mucinex cough medicine brand sold limited-edition clothing designed to comfort people recovering from a cold. The brand sold the "Sickwear" collection in a livestreamed event on Instagram Live that featured several social influencers. Brands including Bud Light, McDonald's, Sprite, Popeyes, Forever 21 and 7-Eleven also have released branded merchandise to connect with younger consumers.

Babe Wine's survival kit is consistent with the offbeat approach of its other recent campaigns, like its collaboration with women-first dating app Bumble to cover the moving costs of people who were stuck living with an ex during the coronavirus pandemic. The brands asked Instagram users to share a photo of how they were "turning their breakup into a glow up" for a chance to win the free move. Last year, Babe Wine became the first official wine sponsor of the NFL fall as part of an effort to reach younger adults who tend to consume less beer.

With many consumers avoiding bars and restaurants during the pandemic, retail sales of wine have increased. Off-premise sales of canned wine jumped 79% to $163 million for the 12-month period ended in June, per Nielsen data cited by Forbes. The growth in canned wine is a sign of how younger consumers have sought convenience and value consistent with their easy-drinking style, Wine Spectator reported.