How Michelob Ultra, Coors Light and Volkswagen are marketing around the summer of soccer

Major League Soccer has a new beer sponsor—and fans of the Beautiful Game can probably guess who it is. Anheuser-Busch InBev’s Michelob Ultra is announcing today it is the new official beer sponsor for the U.S. soccer league. The deal, for multiple years and “multimillion dollars,” according to a person familiar with the talks, makes Ultra the league’s global beer brand everywhere except for Canada, where Asahi is the league’s official beer. Heineken was MLS’s previous beer sponsor. The MLS sponsorship, plus another new deal announced today to sponsor the men’s and women’s Concacaf Champions Cup events, add to the millions of dollars already invested in soccer by Michelob Ultra, including support for the ongoing Copa América tournament. Ultra also has a global deal with the sport’s most recognizable star, Lionel Messi, who was cast in the brand’s Super Bowl ad this year. And AB InBev is an official World Cup sponsor. Cannes Lions coverage See all of the Grand Prix winners here Top 5 Grand Prix campaigns In aligning Michelob Ultra with soccer, AB InBev is matching its superstar beer with a fast-growing sport that only stands to expand behind a series of high-profile tentpole events kicking off this summer in the U.S., including the World Cup prelude Copa América, and recent events including a Mexico-Brazil exhibition in College Station, Texas, on June 8 that drew 85,000 fans. Nice crowd at Kyle Field today for the Mexico vs Brazil friendly pic.twitter.com/6NB35RndiX— Matthew Dawson (@MattDawson75) June 9, 2024 AB InBev’s Copa América marketing includes support of Team USA via a “Summer of Team USA” program with a new TV spot called “Enjoyment” for Michelob Ultra. It is the biggest summer program in the brand’s history, the brewer said in a press release. AB InBev’s in-house agency, draftLine, created the ad. Copa América, which will be contested in 14 U.S. cities, will be followed next year by the FIFA World Club Cup, also in the U.S., and in 2026 by the FIFA World Cup, which the U.S. is co-hosting with Canada and Mexico. In 2028, the Olympics return to Los Angeles. Read more about AB InBev’s Olympics marketing efforts AB InBev’s Budweiser brand has led its World Cup partnerships since 1986, particularly overseas where Budweiser is marketed as a premium import. But with the tournament moving to the U.S. in 2026, the King of Beers—an MLB sponsor in the U.S.—could take a seat on the bench, although AB InBev maintains it would take a portfolio approach to promoting the event. The agreement between Ultra and MLS allows for an extensive series of activations including an on-site presence at MLS events such as the MLS Cup presented by Audi and the MLS All-Star Game presented by Target, broadcast integrations and custom social and digital content. Michelob Ultra will establish title sponsorship of the Superior Man of the Match for all MLS competitions. In addition, Ultra will be the title sponsor and Michelob Ultra Player of the Match presenter of the Campeones Cup, an annual trophy contested between the reigning champions of MLS and Liga MX, Mexico’s professional soccer league. “Our partnership with Concacaf and MLS is another example of how we are connecting our megabrands, like Michelob Ultra, to mega-platforms like Concacaf and MLS to help create more moments of cheers and celebration for fans,” Marcel Marcondes, global chief marketing officer of AB InBev, said in a statement. Continuing its “Superior Access” program, Michelob Ultra is supporting its sponsorships though “Michelob Ultra Pitchside,” a digital platform giving fans a chance to win prizes including game tickets, VIP experiences and merchandise such as a line of co-branded Puma apparel created for Copa America. The brand runs a similar program with its NBA sponsorship. The Concacaf Champions Cup and Concacaf W Champions Cup are the most prestigious club tournaments for men’s and women’s teams and a prelude to next year’s FIFA Club World Cup. The women’s Champions Cup begins in August. The men’s tournament concluded earlier this month when Mexico’s CF Pachuca defeated the MLS’s Columbus Crew 3-0 in the final. Other brands are also participating in the so-called “summer of soccer.” Molson Coors’ Coors Light is once again sponsoring this summer’s Leagues Cup, the in-season tournament of MLS and Mexican Liga MX rivals beginning next month. Volkswagen this week premiered new ads promoting the U.S. as the home of soccer, while Nike last week dropped a new film around the UEFA Euro tournament, a World Cup prelude now taking place in Germany. Below, a closer look at some of those campaigns, as well as how an Argentine energy company is using Messi in its marketing. Home of soccer The U.S. may be the world’s epicenter of soccer this summer, but the old world has its doubts. A new campaign from U.S. national team sponsor Volkswagen, released as Copa América began this week, suggests the international footballing community may be underestimating U.S. passions. In the ad from Johannes Leonardo, U.S. star Christian Pulisic is shown in his professional home in Italy, commiserating by phone with his agent over media skepticism. The solution? Fans who demonstrate the U.S. doesn’t just “get” soccer, but that soccer belongs to the U.S.—a theme contoured along VW’s longstanding identity as a “brand shaped by the people.” The ad also touts that VW's ID.4 electric vehicle is assembled in the U.S. VW said it would launch multiple films during Copa América illustrating how the U.S. is the “home of soccer.” Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs Passion Coors Light is stepping up its soccer game behind a “Refresh the Game” campaign that highlights its sponsorship of MLS’s in-season tournament with Liga MX, the Leagues Cup. The event, which runs from July 26 to Aug. 25, is expected to draw 14 million viewers, according to Molson Coors. Coors Light will also be rolling out thematic packaging, interactive fan features and a sweepstakes for tickets and merchandise. “Soccer’s popularity in the U.S. is skyrocketing,” Vi Tran, senior manager of marketing for Coors Light, said in a blog post. “We know that soccer fans tend to be younger and more diverse, and we want to make soccer and Coors Light synonymous.” A new ad from Alma, called “Hot Flashes” that highlights the passion of soccer fans will appear on every match of the Leagues Cup on MLS Season Pass and the Apple TV app. Ads are in English and Spanish. The captain Argentine energy company YPF has a new ad starring Messi. While he is now a member of MLS’s Miami club, he’ll always belong to Argentina. “La Pulga” himself explains what that means in the spot. The platform, called “Qué lindo ser hincha de Argentina” or “How Nice to Be an Argentine Fan,” was created by Mercado McCann. Argentina is the defending World Cup champion and Copa América represents the first step in defending that title. The “Message from the captain” provides encouragement for Argentina’s next challenge.

How Michelob Ultra, Coors Light and Volkswagen are marketing around the summer of soccer

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