Keystone Light announced the news on Twitter in its typical, jocund manner: “Some personal news: we got married this weekend!”
True story. Tongue-in-cheek. But true.
Erik C., a chemical engineer from Massachusetts, last weekend tied the knot with a can of Keystone Light in a ceremony officiated by his friend, who also happened to be an ordained wedding officiant.
The mock wedding, held in conjunction with Erik's 30th birthday, was a well-orchestrated joke between Carboni and his friends. The ceremony was held July 13 at a friend’s Rhode Island home and featured a wedding party composed of friends, a plastic pink flamingo and two dogs, Brownie and Link. Attendees included several cans of Keystone Light.
“I really got to know Keystone," he wrote. "And I liked what I learned. Here was a beer that was as crisp and refreshing as a summer breeze, and yet as light, smooth and unabashed as a midsummer night's dream.”
The torrid affair continued throughout graduate school, he wrote, leading to a watershed moment when he realized he was in love.
The 12-ounce can of Keystone Light that served as his bride was outfitted with a handmade gossamer veil. The couple’s first dance was to the 1997 Edwin McCain hit, “I’ll be.” The beer was consumed at the reception.
Keystone Light, which was invited to the ceremony but did not help plan it, sent plenty of beer and is helping foot the bill for the couple’s honeymoon. The brand this week posted a poll on Twitter in which 38,750 voters participated, with Florida Keys emerging as the winning destination.
“It felt like a very authentic moment for Keystone Light to participate. Erik has been a longtime fan, messaging us on social media long before his wedding,” says Vi Tran, associate marketing manager for the brand. “So when he sent us a wedding invite and took it all to the next level by posting his wedding on The Knot, we knew we wanted to help him celebrate.”
The stunt, part of a broader strategy of Keystone Light engaging with fans more on social media, racked up more than 150 million earned media impressions, including pick-up from outlets such as MSN, AOL.com, Yahoo Sports, Golf Digest and Brobible.
“We didn’t anticipate this much publicity; we just wanted to generate some fun conversation,” Tran says. “And we did that – we saw a lot of moments of lighthearted fun, which is exactly what Keystone stands for.”
