Corona Premier names director of lifestyle for new fitness-focused push

Dive Brief:

• Corona Premier launched a new brand platform today (April 26) and announced the appointment of the brand’s first director of lifestyle, according to information shared with Marketing Dive.
• The push emphasizes an active lifestyle while showcasing the light beer as something to be excited about that isn’t a compromise. Advertising material will appear across out-of-home, TV, social, digital, radio and TV platforms.
• As the brand’s director of lifestyle, television personality and former NCAA football player Matt James will encourage others to live an active lifestyle and help promote The Premier Club, a traveling activation providing customized fitness and sports opportunities.

Dive Insight:

Corona Premier, sister brand of Corona Extra, is the latest to reimagine its marketing at a moment with the light beer category is in upheaval following last year’s controversy around Bud Light’s partnership with a transgender influencer and a subsequent drop in sales. While brands like Bud Light, Coors Light and Miller Lite have adopted a nostalgic approach in their marketing of late, Corona Premier is doubling down on messaging around fitness as a lifestyle.  

The campaign, which comes from Corona’s U.S. distributor Constellation Brands, was created in partnership with BarkleyOKRP and is set to Major Lazer’s 2015 hit, “Light it Up.” At the core of the new platform is James, who is best known for his role on the 25th season of “The Bachelor.” As Corona Premier’s director of lifestyle, he will be active in the Premier Club, including appearing at events.

The Premier Club includes a new partnership Barry’s, a trendy fitness chain known for high-intensity workouts and a nightclub aesthetic, for speciality classes and tasting experiences in eight markets. On May 4, the light beer will present the Canelo vs. Munguia fight in Las Vegas through a partnership with Premier Boxing Champion. Experiential activations are also planned at both the 2024 U.S. Open Golf Championship and the American Century Championship. The beer will also have a baseball presence through activations at Minor League Baseball stadiums across the country.

Light beer remains popular with consumers, with a market value of $374.9 million in 2023, and is expected to grow at an annual rate of 3.2% going forward. Many brands have invested heavily in their light and lighter beer offerings. In January, Molson Coors rebranded its ultra light beer Miller64 to Miller Extra Light to take the emphasis off of calories and reflect evolving consumer preferences around low-alcohol products.