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When it comes to podcasting, there’s no bigger beverage alcohol sponsor than Molson Coors and their leading beer brands, Coors Light and Miller Lite beer in particular.
More than 120 million Americans listen to podcasts, with that number expected to grow to 160 million by 2024, according to data compiled by Buzzsprout. And sixty percent of listeners have bought a product after hearing about it on a podcast, so it’s not surprising that Molson Coors wants in on that action.
“We were the first brand in beer to make a significant investment in this space,” said Michelle St. Jacques, the company’s chief marketing officer. “We invest more than our biggest competitors combined in podcasting – one of the fastest growing media spaces in the past three years. In fact, we own category exclusivity for the top three sports podcasts.”
According to told Beer & Beyond, “Molson Coors’ top brands, Coors Light and Miller Lite, sponsor some the top podcasts around, including the three leading sports podcasts: “The Bill Simmons Podcast,” “Pardon My Take” and “The Dan Le Batard Show.”
With nearly 70% of podcast listeners reporting that ads raise their awareness of brands and products, podcasts add a more natural element to the conversation. Beverages can be referenced organically, kind of like product placement in a movie.
That’s what makes podcasts such an invaluable advertising medium for Molson Coors and its brands, said Brad Feinberg, the company’s vice president of media and consumer engagement, citing a Miller Lite spot that aired on the popular “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend,” podcast.
“You’re getting two minutes of uninterrupted Miller Lite content from Conan, talking about the brand and the core attributes in his own unique way,” Feinberg said. “You know he’s doing it as a commercial, but he’s doing it in an authentic way.”
“This medium has the unique ability to build a real connection for our brands with the show, the hosts and their audience,” Feinberg added. “It often goes above and beyond the allotted commercial time. You just cannot get that in any other media channel.”
The sports and entertainment fields will continue to play major roles in the company’s podcast strategy this fall. Miller Lite has signed on to sponsor ESPN’s popular “Fantasy Focus” podcast, and it will continue supporting Simmons’ show, “Pardon My Take” and betting platform Draft Kings’ shows hosted by Le Batard.
Bottom line…Media is in constant change and that change is accelerating.
Newspapers are transitioning to online, TV networks are losing audience to streaming and radio stations to podcasting. And Molson Coors is planning to tap into culture where consumers spend time.
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