• by Steve Ellwanger , May 3, 2023

Molson Coors Beverage Co. credited its first national Super Bowl ad campaign in 30 years for double-digit sales growth of Coors Light and Miller Light.

Following more than three decades of Super Bowl exclusivity for Anheuser-Busch, Molson Coors ran this spot featuring Coors Light and Miller Light—with a surprise appearance in the last few seconds by its Blue Moon brand of wheat beer.

“These brands benefited immensely from our first Super Bowl campaign in more than 30 years,” Molson Coors president and CEO Gavin Hattersley told financial analysts yesterday on a Q1 earnings call.

According to CFO Tracey Joubert, advertising for Coors Light and Miller Light began in the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl.

“In fact, we had over a 60% increase in impressions across our three key brands in January and February versus the prior year,” said Joubert.

“But also just to remind you that last year in Q1, we had the big launch of Topo Chico Hard Seltzer. And so there was a big spend that we were lapping from last year.”

Meanwhile, the company prepares to expand its presence in the hard tea category.

Topo Chico Hard Seltzer, Topo Chico Spirited—infused with vodka or tequila—and Simply Spiked Lemonade are marketed in an exclusive agreement with The Coca-Cola Company

Molson Coors is expanding that partnership with the planned September launch of Peace Hard Tea—named for Coca-Cola’s fruit-flavored Peace Tea beverage.

Peace Tea is popular with legal-age Gen Z consumers, particularly in the Southeast United States, according to Molson Coors.

“The hard tea category continues to grow double digits year over year, and we think there’s a huge opportunity,” marketing director for innovation Amanda Devore said in a blog post.

Peace Hard Tea will complement Molson Coors’ Arnold Palmer Spiked Half & Half—a combination of alcohol-infused iced tea and lemonade launched in 2018 in conjunction with AriZona Beverages.

While dollar sales of hard seltzers declined by 15.8% in the four weeks ended April 23, hard teas rose by 37.7%, according to data from NielsenIQ.

In the same time period, beer sales increased 3.1%.