• by Teresa Buyikian , 7 hours ago

White Claw is betting $1 million on sport fans ditching their beers during March Madness.

The hard seltzer maker is literally picking up $1 million in bar tabs this basketball season with its “Make it a Couple of Claws” promotion.

The promotion was inspired by the brand’s recent survey data that found that while “72% of patrons say beer is the default drink their friends order for the group,”  80% said “they would switch to a lighter tasting and more refreshing flavor option.”

Consumers are encouraged to order any White Claw flavor at their favorite bar, and afterwards log on to whiteclaw.com/coupleofclaws, to upload their receipt, which garners them a rebate. The amount depends on the state laws, but the max varies between $12-$24. Consumers can also visit the site to enter a contest without purchase for a chance to get a gift card or other prizes.

“Tournament season turns sports bars into communities – we love that. But then fans order beer out of habit,” said Kevin Brady, vice president of marketing, White Claw. “We know there's a better way to keep that energy with friends going, and we're putting our money where our Claws are…a million bucks worth. At White Claw we're all about the most refreshing options that keep the crew together from tip off to OT. Now, for a limited time, we've got the tab.”

Several sports and comedy podcasters from the Almost Friday Media team have been tapped for the promotion including Caleb Pressley, Rusty Featherstone, Chet Collins and Eilise Patton. The celebs also popped up at various sports bars earlier this month.

The White Claw $1 million bar tab promotion runs through April 6 and is being promoted via the brand’s social media.