Tune into season 21 of Bravo’s “Top Chef,” which debuted last week, and you’ll notice a lot of Miller High Life. What else would you expect for a season set exclusively in Wisconsin?
“When we heard that Top Chef was coming to Wisconsin, we knew we had to be involved,” says Lucy Bloxam, marketing manager for Miller High Life. “We're so proud to be from Milwaukee and Wisconsin. Miller High Life has such a natural affinity with food. It’s also a quality beer at an affordable price, so it’s beloved by chefs, bartenders and many others in the service industry.”
As the official beer sponsor of the Wisconsin season of “Top Chef,” Miller High Life will be integrated into the entire season, like in the first episode where we caught a glimpse of the cheftestants enjoying High Life.
The brand also plays a crucial role in the second episode, airing tonight, March 27, at 8 p.m. CT on Bravo.
“The hallmark of the sponsorship is the early season elimination challenge,” says Bloxam. The contestants will be charged with creating an entire high-end meal on a dive bar budget.
Along with showcasing The Champagne of Beers, the episode will also feature the Miller Brewing Company campus, including the historic Miller Caves, which were first excavated in 1850.
“That was such a huge and valiant effort from so many people across the organization, from our events team in Milwaukee to our brewery folks and admin support,” says Bloxam. “I'm excited not only for the brand but for the employees that helped and have so much pride in Miller’s Milwaukee brewery."
‘Taste the High Life’
To coincide with the show, Miller High Life is launching “Taste the High Life,” a campaign featuring retail tools and several food-related collaborations.
That includes a sweepstakes, where legal-age consumers can enter for a chance to win a private cooking class with Justin Sutherland, a former “Top Chef” contestant. Sutherland has also created recipes that will show up at retail, like his favorite pimento cheese dip.
Miller High Life will be offering a range of “Taste the High Life” merchandise on its website. It’s also collaborating with Tilit, the “Top Chef”-approved hospitality workwear brand, which is creating branded work shirts and cooking gear. Another food-related collaboration is also in the works.
Cheers to the new year
This all comes as Miller High Life continues to outperform in the economy beer segment.
“We ended 2023 with our highest dollar share of the economy beer segment that we've had in six years, which is essentially as far back as we can pull information from Circana,” says Bloxam. “The brand also grew industry share and was the top on-premise economy gainer of 2023.”
The brand has maintained that momentum in 2024, continuing to grow industry share in the 13 weeks ending March 17, according to Circana multi-outlet and convenience store data.
“We have a ton of momentum and a full year of programming,” says Bloxam. “We’re firing on all cylinders to make the most of the sponsorship and the ‘Taste the High Life’ platform.”