To some, March Madness is *serious* business. For others (read: me) it's an opportunity to drink beer, eat snacks, and break out my old college merch—which is important, too. Coors Light not only gets that, they want to help elevate the experience. In honor of the annual NCAA tournament, the brand will be pouring free pints March 22 and March 23.
The promotion was inspired by the brewing company's off-court rivalry with Bud Light, who has continued to take shots at Coors. In January, Anheuser-Busch released a shade-filled Super Bowl ad that directly called out its competitors—including Coors And Miller Light—for using corn syrup. And now, the "World's Most Refreshing Beer" is fighting back. For every disparaging Bud Light commercial or social media post during the two-day timespan, Coors' patented "smart tap" will light up and of age patrons will score free brews.
You don't have to jump through hoops (lol) either. Hit up one of the 200 participating bars nationwide, and the beer will flow—given Bud Light continues to spew insults. "When they bring hate, we will literally bring light," vice president of the Coors family of brands Ryan Reis said in a statement. "The more Bud Light talks, the more we refresh." The smart handles were unveiled at the MillerCoors convention March 13 and are expected to land in New York, Philadelphia, Dallas, Omaha, and Las Vegas.
It seems Bud Light's smear campaign has only backfired. According to MillerCoors, sales have continued to plummet since the Super Bowl ad premiered earlier this year. In the weeks following the debut, the brand saw a 8.8 percent decrease. Ouch.
"Bud Light has been attacking us out of frustration and criticizing our ingredients for weeks now," Reis continued. "We know drinkers don’t want to hear it. They want to move on. And according to a survey we conducted last week, 80 percent of premium light drinkers said they just want to enjoy a refreshing beer without being subjected to a debate about ingredients. So we’re giving it to them." Yeah! Let us drink our (free) beer in peace!
