Dive Brief:

• Modelo and corn chip brand Takis have teamed to create a limited-edition, temperature-controlled vending machine, per details shared with Marketing Dive.
• Contestants in the "Hands on a Hot Drop" competition will be required to keep one hand on the vending machine, with the person who remains the longest winning the machine as well as a gift card for a year's supply of Modelo and Takis. The competition will take place at the iHeartRadio Block Party at Pier 76 in New York City on July 10.
• The vending machine is part of Modelo's weekly #ModeloTime product drops, which include partnerships with other brands and celebrities and are revealed every Friday, that the brand can use to collect valuable first-party consumer data.

Dive Insight:

Modelo and Takis have teamed for a limited-edition piece of merchandise — a temperature-controlled vending machine that contains both beer and chips — that could prove to be a novel prize for fans of either brand. Releasing branded merchandise has been a frequent tactic used by marketers of all stripes for years, from streetwear collections to more outsized items like tricked-out golf bags.

Modelo will give the vending machine to one lucky contestant in its Hands on a Hot Drop competition, which is being held at an iHeartRadio block party presented by the brand. In-person events and this type of experiential marketing can be expected to pick up this summer as Covid-spurred restrictions and behavior changes continue to subside.

The vending machine is part of the beer brand's #ModeloTime product drops. Every Friday at 3 p.m. this summer, Modelo is partnering with other brands and celebrities to make a new product available, like the Modelo-branded Traeger Pro 575 grill. By gathering entries on its website, Modelo can collect valuable first-party data about consumers. 

These types of first-party data plays have become more common, especially from CPG marketers, which are expected to be particularly affected by the loss of third-party cookies. By teaming with Takis and other brands, Modelo can extend the reach of the effort and potentially share data with another brand. Similarly, Old Spice and Arby’s recently collaborated on a campaign around preventing the "meat sweats."