MillerCoors Shows Radio Some Love

Has Radio Strategy

With arch rival ANHEUSER-BUSCH cutting spending on everything from radio to sports naming rights, MILLERCOORS is looking to gain some share at its competitor's expense, reports ADAGE.COM. 

The first stop: radio.

MILLERCOORS recently sponsored a U2 Day for CBS AAA WXRT/CHICAGO to promote the release of U2's new album, "No Line on the Horizon."

In a panel at this week's RAB2009 in ORLANDO, MILLERCOORS EVP/Sports And Event Marketing DOCKERY CLARK said the beer marketer is looking to naming-rights deals and other event-based marketing opportunities to boost its share, and looking to radio as a key activation point. She cited COORS LIGHT's sponsorships as the official beer of the NFL and NASCAR as recent examples but indicated that the newly merged company is looking to move beyond sports for future event-marketing deals.

The most valuable radio partners have been the ones who can help the company leverage retail and on-site event partners to help activate their local media buys.

When it comes to radio's role in MILLERCOORS' event-marketing strategy, KIM LUEGERS, Emerging-Media Director for MILLERCOORS agency DRAFTFCB, said, "It's all about selling product and what channel does that best."

LUEGERS said the most valuable radio partners have been the ones that can help the company leverage retail and on-site event partners to help activate their local media buys. "We just need someone to listen to what [our] business problems are, and find out if your property has a solution that can help fix that problem," she said. "I take meetings every day with vendors, and the single most important thing I try to educate them about is: What's the problem my brand is trying to solve? At the end of the day, if you have something to help us accomplish that more, we're going to use you."

« see more Net News