✓ Planned media budgets for Peroni and Blue Moon in the U.S. are up significantly as both brands kick off summer campaigns and partnerships
✓ The company has big plans to support the growth of Fever Tree and ZOA in the U.S.
As summer kicks off, Molson Coors is amping up resources designed to unlock success for its Above Premium brands across beer and non-alc beverages. That includes plans for increased media investment behind key brands to drive continued reach and relevance among its target audiences, and increased headcount focused on building out Molson Coors’ expanding non-alc portfolio in the U.S.
Elevating above premium beer
This summer, Molson Coors’ two biggest priorities in above premium beer in the U.S. are Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Blue Moon, and Vice President of Marketing Courtney Benedict says the company is leaning into what makes both brands unique.
“When it comes to above premium, I think you first need to understand what it is about a specific brand that elevates the experience, and then, you need to be uncompromising about delivering that experience every single time," she says.
Peroni is off to a busy start this year, beginning with a dramatic award show appearance and a new partnership with celebrity chef Giada de Laurentiis. Across retail accounts, bars, restaurants and venues, Peroni is also investing in new packaging types and unlocking more consistent, reliable supply supported by consumer demand.
The focus is starting to pay off. Peroni is up over 5% in dollar sales for the 13 weeks ending May 11, and up over 22% for the last 4 weeks. The company also expects a more than 50% increase in chain placements for the brand during spring resets at retail.
Yet, Benedict believes that there’s still plenty of runway left for Peroni.
“Awareness for the brand is still relatively low,” she says. “Only 40% of consumers in the U.S. are aware of Peroni.”
Molson Coors is also seeing gains with Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0%, the non-alc version of the brand, with dollar sales up over 49% for the 13 weeks ending May 11. Along with continuing its high-profile racing partnership, the brand is now available nationwide.
Apart from Peroni, Molson Coors is also preparing to launch new campaign work and retail programming for Blue Moon.
First, Blue Moon is launching a program called the “Orange Standard,” where the brand will re-introduce its unique orange garnish ritual to a new generation of 21+ consumers.
“The orange garnish is our identifier,” says Benedict. “It makes the experience of having a Blue Moon special. We’re launching a new program to bring that experience to life in the on-premise, at retail and well beyond.”
Blue Moon also has new spaces at major league ballparks in Atlanta (Blue Moon Brewery & Grill) and Arlington, Texas (Blue Moon Taproom). Enhancements are also planned for the Sandlot Brewery at Coors Field in Denver, where the brand got its start.
There’s also good news for other members of the Blue Moon family. After debuting in Dec. 2023, Blue Moon Non-Alc is continuing to grow, with dollar sales up nearly 40% for the six weeks ending May 11. This year also saw the launch of Blue Moon Extra, a bolder 8% ABV offering designed for c-stores.
Major moves in non-alc
Molson Coors’ summer plans for beyond beer are also heating up with exciting new partners in Fever-Tree and Naked Life, and a majority stake in ZOA Energy.
Vice President of Non-Alc Kevin Nitz adds that Molson Coors’ non-alc portfolio not only helps the company expand beyond beer, but it plays an important role in its premiumization ambitions, too.
“All of these brands play in the above premium space,” says Nitz.
Recently, Naked Life launched nationally in the U.S. and starting on June 1, Fever-Tree will begin hitting shelves from within the Molson Coors network.
Because Fever-Tree is already a beloved brand with double-digit U.S. dollar sales growth in 2024 versus the previous year, Molson Coors is focused on leveraging the scale and strength of its distribution network to accelerate growth over time. It’s also delivering new display materials and retail programs to help with in-store visibility and planning mass sampling events at festivals throughout the year.
Sampling is also crucial for ZOA Energy, the company’s better-for-you energy brand, which will embark on a national sampling tour starting this summer. The brand will also have more media investment with digital and social, including a big focus on influencer partnerships.
“We’re going much wider on sampling this year with an ambition to sample 1 million cans,” says Nitz.
This summer, ZOA is also bringing back a fan favorite flavor, Lemon Lime, available for a limited time on Amazon.
Nitz also discussed the national launch of Naked Life, the non-alc, ready-to-drink, true-to-cocktail line.
“There’s really nothing like Naked Life on the market right now,” says Nitz. “Many non-alc canned cocktails fail to meet the needs of health-conscious consumers and can be price prohibitive. Naked Life tastes incredible, has zero grams of sugar and only five calories nutritional profile consumers desire, and a price that doesn’t break the bank.”
With ambitious plans to sample and expand these brands' reach, Nitz believes Molson Coors is moving in the right direction.
"By prioritizing above premium, we’re aiming for the simple but ambitious solution of offering consumers a great drink no matter who they are, when it is or what they’re looking for," he says.