Coors Light turns favorite video chat backgrounds into real vacations

Dive Brief:

Coors Light is giving fans a chance to win a vacation to the travel destinations they've been using as video chat backgrounds during the pandemic, according to a press release.
Entrants must upload a screenshot of themselves in their "ideal video chat background" at coorslight.com/outside to enter a sweepstakes for a trip to that location. The contest began on Aug. 27 and runs through Oct. 1. Winners can redeem their trip through June 30, 2022.
The experiential effort, crafted with agency DDB, is part of the brand's broader "Made to Chill" platform that first rolled out last summer. On Aug. 30, Coors extended the campaign with an integrated advertising push across broadcast, digital and paid social.

Dive Insight:

With its latest sweepstakes, Coors Light is tapping into a trend that has become a part of daily life during the coronavirus pandemic: video chats on platforms like Zoom. Brands as diverse as Red Lobster, Behr and West Elm have offered homebound consumers customized backgrounds that have attempted to enhance the monotony of the video chat experience, but Coors Light is inverting the concept by offering a real-life experience.

The campaign comes as pandemic lockdowns ease in many parts of the U.S. and world. Recently, brands have flipped the desire for travel into novel campaigns, like Audible's pitch for audio books or Lay's "flavor trip" chip flavors, but Coors Light's sweepstakes is looking forward to a time when the travel industry rebounds to a new normal. On a smaller scale, Blockbuster last month teamed with Airbnb for a limited-time rental at its last location for an experiential mini-getaway.

As the pandemic continues in the U.S., some signs suggest consumers are looking to resume traveling. Disney, Hilton, Southwest Airlines and other brands developed branded content and campaigns for Pinterest as the platform saw elevated interest in travel earlier this summer. Coors Light is responding to that increased interest with its new integrated campaign.

Coors Light first launched its Made to Chill rebranding campaign last summer to target millennials and Gen Zers seeking a break from the "always-on" world. With the pandemic putting an end to the "always-on" world, Coors Light has had to pivot, offering in April $1 million in beer to boost morale during lockdowns. This latest effort puts the Made to Chill campaign back on track in regards to appealing to young fans seeking a relaxing getaway.