Busch Beer is running a winter promotion to discount its beer through a rebate based on the number of inches of snowfall in selected cities in the Midwest, the company revealed in a press release to Marketing Dive. Until March 21, the brand will track the weather in Des Moines, Grand Rapids, Minneapolis, Fargo, Omaha, Buffalo and Green Bay and will take $1 off a case per inch of snow that falls in that city. The company is keeping score of the snowfall and the discounts on interactive billboards in each of the locations.
The company created a microsite to track the snowfall and give people the information on how to use the rebate. Fans can receive up to $30 in rebates in the form of an Anheuser-Busch branded prepaid Mastercard or digital card. This weather driven promotion is aimed to get business in January, a period after the holidays when many people choose to drink less alcohol or even abstain completely by participating in “Dry January.”
With the weather promotion, the beer company is having fun with cold snaps and giving fans a fun way to enjoy the frigid cold weather in the regions known for harsh winters. Offering rebates in a fun way on beer purchases gives people an incentive to embrace the snowfall and encourage future purchases.
The promotion always has the potential to increase its Twitter followers in the regions, due to people following the brand to stay up to date with how many inches of snow has fallen and how to get the discount. Brands that create a story around something larger than the product can attract consumers who keep track of the weather.
Alaska Airlines is having a similar promotion with airfare discounts to the expected intensity of northern lights. The airfare is cutting fares by as much as 35% for a limited time to help increase ticket sales in the slower January period.
Having creative promotions and marketing strategies can really make your brand stand out compared to competitors. Sometimes a simple change or strategy can make a huge difference in increasing brand image and sales.
