The celebration of the World Cup, which starts on June 11 and takes place in Mexico, the United States and Canada, is a prominent event in the marketing and communication calendars of brands, especially those in the food and beverage sectors, due to its consumption moments linked to the matches. And, specifically, the beer category, traditionally linked to sports, is being a source of inspiration for activations, collaborations, packaging design and product development.

A pack of beer and ketchup

Proof of this is the alliance established between the Heineken beer brand and the Heinz sauces and condiments brand, which results in a limited edition of a drink pack that includes a bottle of ketchup. The new product, which has been called simply “Heinz x Heineken”, is made up of five bottles of beer and a bottle of Heinz, and is presented as the “match” that we have all been waiting for. The phrase establishes a play on words around the term, which can mean both “party” and “couple.”

Beyond a name that begins with the same letters, the brands ensure that the association is based on a decades-long history in which consumers themselves have united their products. “After more than 150 years of collaboration, Heinz and Heineken make it official“, they have commented from Kraft Heinz on social networks. “Simple on the surface, but rooted in something familiar: how people come together around food and shared moments. This alliance is a great example of how we are present where culture comes to life, finding new ways to connect with consumers in different markets.”.

Kraft Heinz Publishing.

The initiative has been worked on together with The Kitchen, Kraft Heinz’s in-house agency; the creative agency LePub and the communications and public relations agency The Romans. The product is launched for the summer season, although it has not specified which channels it will be available on. The launch takes advantage of the start of the football tournament, with the intention, according to the brands, of making each match better this summer and bringing people together around good food, great drinks and shared moments.

Milk and beer come together in Chelala

The social and cultural context of the World Cup and the visual and narrative codes of the beer category have inspired the most recent activation of the Lala milk brand in Mexico. Seeking to connect with sports fans and explore new moments of consumption, it has created a package of milk bottles emulating the usual “six pack” of beer. He has called it “Chelalas”, combining its naming with the term “chela”, popularly used to refer to beer.

The product is born from the idea that if a beer accompanies each celebration, milk can also be associated with those same cultural codes. It is a limited edition of Lala milk, but inspired by the beer universe. Thus, the packaging presents robust fonts, golden details or premium labels, with the intention of visually placing the milk in a completely different category.

The initiative has been developed together with the creative agencies Conciergency and Zurda, and is presented with a digital spot starring the former Mexican soccer player Luis Roberto Alves, also known as Zague.

Lala Group publication.

“Milk does not need to reinvent itself, what it needs is to continue finding new moments to be relevant“, they have commented from Grupo Lala through LinkedIn. “Behind this initiative is a simple conviction: the most relevant brands are not those that interrupt the conversation, but those that find authentic ways to participate in it. Building relevance today involves understanding people, their habits, their rituals and the passions that unite them. This is how we continue to promote innovation at Grupo Lala: connecting tradition, creativity and culture to stay close to those who choose us every day”.

Corona Zero pack 6+1

Corona also innovated in packaging a few months ago with the presentation of a pack of 6+1 bottles for its Cero variety, worked together with the creative agency Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam. The brand’s intention has been to provide consumers with a bottle of beer for each day of the week to continue bringing people closer to moments of enjoyment.

“Seven days in a week, but only 6 beers in a pack? It’s a small problem, but one that Corona Zero has taken seriously“commented Yu-Sung Huang, Global Brand Director of Corona Cero.”As a brand positioned on everyday relaxation, we believe you should be able to relax every day of the week.”.
The brand assures that the packaging was launched in April in Colombia and that its goal is to bring it to more markets soon.