On most occasions, having your digital signage damaged is an unwanted issue. But for the creatives at Coors Light, Shohei Ohtani’s billboard-breaking foul ball was a marketing opportunity that they couldn’t give up.
On August 26th, 2023, during the Met’s faceoff against the LA Angels, world-renowned batter Shohei Ohtani struck a long foul ball into the stands, knocking a square off the scoreboard in the process. Luckily for Coors, their spot happened to be showing right at that moment: Ohtani had struck a piece from the top left of the Coors can pictured in the ad.
The Coors Light marketing team pounced on this opportunity to align themselves with one of the best ballplayers of our generation. Two days after the incident, their official twitter account posted an image of the can with a small black square occupying the top left corner. Above it rests the tagline: “HITS THE SPOT.”
This tweet received massive engagement from Coors enjoyers and baseball fans alike, receiving over 900,000 views and 1,600 reposts on X to date. The response was so massive that Coors turned the gag into an actual limited edition can available for purchase on their website.
Amidst the shouts that Coors’ success was pure luck, a team of dedicated creatives was sharp enough to seize this hidden marketing opportunity. As a lesson to all marketers, be aware. Stay up-to-date with everything related to your brand. Consume the media that your target markets are watching. Follow the trends in your industry, and maybe set some of your own.
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