(Courtesy MillerCoors)

Last week Miller Lite launched a campaign that reimagined its iconic “It’s Miller Time” theme for today’s generation of social-media obsessed beer fans…

The new campaign” (which debuted during the World Series) positions the simple act of enjoying a beer with friends as “The Original Social Media” and an alternative to social media fatigue.

As part of that campaign the brand announced its decision to go dark on its social media handles and suggested that others step away from living the social media life in favor of hanging with friends over beer (preferably Miller Lite).

But what actually happened was insanely counterintuitive….Despite its call for people to unfollow them on social media, Miller Lite actually gained more followers than it lost.

So what happened? Were Miller Lite fans, (or Miller Lite not fans) just fucking with them?

Whatever the reason, Miller Lite’s call for beer fans to step away from social media has led to huge social media bump for the company, which they’ve conveniently decided to count as a campaign win…

This from MillerCoors’ Behind the Beer…

“So far the campaign has earned more than 620 million PR Impressions and counting, well ahead of the brand’s goal, with 97% positive or neutral sentiment. The volume of social conversations around #itsmillertime also is outperforming internal targets. And, despite some unfollows, the brand’s Instagram has gained a net 5,000 followers.”

Wait a minute… It’s good news that Miller Lite’s call to step away from social media netted the company an additional 5,000 followers?

And you’re telling us that this growth speaks to the effectiveness of a campaign asking beer lovers to put down social media for the simpler pleasures of enjoying a beer with friends?

We’re confused…

And while the Miller Lite has gone dark on social handles, they DEFINITELY haven’t abandoned digital media according to Courtney Benedict, director of marketing for the Miller family of brands…

“We will still have an extremely robust presence in other digital media: influencers, PR, and a huge online video presence. To recruit new, younger legal-drinking-age drinkers, we needed to do something that will truly get their attention and make them think differently about Miller Lite.”

So to help orchestrate its ‘cease and desist’ social media campaign, MillerCoors has hired professional influencers who live and die via social media. Really?

Doesn’t having a huge online video presence run a little bit counter to the campaign’s whole ‘enjoying beer out with friends’ message?

And isn’t that an odd message to begin with for a company that at the same time is bragging to have “more than doubled its social investment in 2019 versus 2018”?

Hey, American Craft Beer is as guilty as anyone when it comes to beer spin. But there is beer spin and there is BEER SPIN. And we can’t help but call bullshit on MillerCoors claims of success with its “Miller Time” anti-social media campaign…

You can hit us back via Facebook or Twitter if you think we’re wrong…But please don’t call.