With the United States racing towards a full reopening, Molson Coors Beverage Company’s brands are telling consumers, “It’s time for that beer.”
“It feels like something we all said to friends during the pandemic. We want to get together for that beer,” says Katie Feldman, senior marketing manager for Molson Coors. “We are bringing all of our brands together in an effort to welcome people back to their favorite bars and restaurants, and to help those same people follow through on their promises to get a beer with friends.”
Through July 31, Molson Coors will pick up the first round when friends who made plans during the pandemic get together at a bar or restaurant and order a Molson Coors product.
The program, limited to 35 states, is the one of the rare times all of Molson Coors’s brands have come together for a commercial event like this, Feldman says. And it comes at a time when the on-premise is opening at a faster clip than many anticipated, says Matt Stallman, senior manager for shopper marketing at Molson Coors.
“The on-premise is opening back up and things are happening fast. Two-thirds of consumers have come back to the bars and restaurants, and we want our beers to be top of mind as they return,” he says, pointing to data that forecasts total third-quarter on-premise activity to be 91% of 2019’s sales.
“We feel like this is the right way to bring our brands to life, through something that feels such a part of culture,” he says.
Consumers can participate by visiting TimeForThatBeer.com and uploading images of their receipts. They’ll be reimbursed for their purchases via PayPal or Venmo. Some restrictions apply, and details can be found online.
As consumers make their way back, bars and restaurants are seeking to make them as comfortable as possible, offering things like QR-code menus and a bevy of familiar brands, an area where Molson Coors’ products stand out.
“Now that more and more people are vaccinated and the world is opening up, we want to help give permission to people to meet up with their friends,” Feldman says. “We feel like it’s the right thing to do to motivate people to enjoy the moment, to the best of their abilities, and to do what they promised to do: get back together with people they care about.”