• by Tanya Gazdik , June 4, 2015

Constellation Brands’ Modelo Especial is continuing its efforts to reach general market consumers and has tapped soccer stars Clint Dempsey and Miguel Layún as brand ambassadors.

The brand -- which recently became the second most imported beer in the United States, largely due to its favor among Hispanic consumers -- has partnered with Dempsey and Layún as part of its summer marketing campaign. 

The summer campaign positions Modelo Especial as the “Official Beer of the Beautiful Game.” The promotion includes a contest in which consumers can win a trip to meet either Dempsey or Layún and watch them play in a regular season match.

Despite being one of the fastest growing beer brands in the country  and the No.2 imported beer in the U.S., the brand has relatively low awareness among general market consumers, says Jim Sabia, chief marketing officer, Constellation Brands, the exclusive U.S. importer of Modelo Especial.

“So, we’re making significant investments in sports marketing and our association with soccer to introduce Modelo Especial to more consumers,” Sabia says in a release.

The company increased its marketing investment this year to target general market consumers for the first time. The campaign also will target the brand’s core Hispanic consumers, a population expected to grow 30% over the next 10 years. 

The company’s TV ad campaign “Discover the Authentic Story of Modelo Especial” launched April 21 to educate general market consumers about the authentic history of Modelo Especial. The media buy includes premium programming such as the National Basketball Association playoffs and the English Premier League matches.

Layún, a member of the Mexican national soccer team and star player for Watford, England, and Dempsey, the U.S. men’s national soccer team captain and Seattle Sounders FC player, will support the brand with a series of activation programs.

Both players are expected to play in the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, an international soccer tournament with 12 qualifying nations from North America, Central America and the Caribbean. The Gold Cup takes place in the United States from July 7-26.