Beer Wolf is back.
Roughly 30 years since he went into hibernation, the bandana-clad anthropomorphic wolf who swigged Coors Light in bars and pubs is making his return to the public eye in a merchandise collaboration between Coors Light and trendy L.A. shop, The Laundry Room.
The two brands have teamed up to create a limited-edition apparel collection, which includes T-shirts, lounge wear and even a hat with wolf ears, launching exclusively today at shop.coorslight.com. It’ll be sold through The Laundry Room’s website and at select retailers beginning Nov. 1. Beer Wolf fans can also register to win the entire collection through a sweepstakes.
“Beer Wolf has been gone for a long time, but consumers still ask about him. It’s the perfect time to bring back a beloved character, just in time for the spookiest time of year,” says Josh McDonald, marketing manager for Coors Light.
Beer Wolf was introduced in 1983 to help Coors Light, then just five years old and looking for a foothold, own a holiday, while its competitors were spending big around Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day.
The character won a cult following that still seeks out Beer Wolf paraphernalia online. Now a new generation is being introduced to Beef Wolf.
“The Laundry Room has a built-in fanbase that we think will really resonate with Beer Wolf,” McDonald says. “We’re glad to have him back, at least for now.”
The merch collab is the latest effort this year by Coors Light to connect with consumers via apparel. The brand earlier this year partnered with Aviator Nation for a crop of beach-worthy soft clothes.
It’s also welcoming Toronto Raptors fans back to the home court with the Homecoming Collection, a limited-edition, varsity-inspired clothing line produced by trendy Toronto shop, Peace Collective. Designed and made in Canada, the Homecoming Collection by Coors Light includes varsity patch letterman jackets, hoodies, crewnecks and more to help fans welcome the Raptors back to Canada after 19 months.
Molson Coors’ brands spent the pandemic looking for new ways to connect with fans, including establishing e-commerce stores for a number of its brands, including Miller Lite, Miller High Life and Leinenkugel’s. The online stores have been a hit with fans. Coors Light, for instance, sold $200,000 of holiday onesies, last year.
“Any time we can build a connection with consumers, we’ll try to do that. This is a great way reach a new generation of fans,” McDonald says.