Throughout its 46-year history, Miller Lite has come up with some interesting means to advertise, and with social media being all the buzz, one would think that 2019 could be a watershed year for the company through various platforms. It could very well end up being so, but not in the way that we would likely expect. Until Nov. 29, the MillerCoors product will reward consumers who unfollow it on social media, granting each a free beer for their efforts to socialize and leave technology behind.
A few friends are better than a few thousand followers. We’re going dark on social media. See you IRL. #ItsMillerTime pic.twitter.com/8gxFGYwlJM
— Miller Lite (@MillerLite) October 22, 2019
MillerLite took to Facebook, Instagram and Twitter yesterday to announce its break from making posts, noting, as Adage points out, that the mission to have people unfollow its accounts will encourage the enjoyment of “Miller Time.” We have been a fan of the “It’s Miller Time” slogan long before we could drink, thanks to Bill Murray in “Ghostbusters,” so now that we are of age, we can see what Miller Lite is aiming to do. It wants to encourage more in-person, memory-making experiences, and is looking for a business boost simply by encouraging fans of the brand—or, at least, free beer—that sometimes it’s good to step away from social media.
The beverage provider is asking people to produce photographic proof that they have given Miller Lite the unfollow treatment. After they have texted their proof to the company, they will have their PayPal accounts credited the cost of a beer, with 118,000 cans up for grabs.
Yesterday, we looked at “Joker,” a massive moneymaker that is succeeding minus the presence of promotional products. Today, we are seeing that another well-known cash counter is taking a seemingly unorthodox path toward enhanced standing in its field. While “Joker” and Miller Lite will certainly reside in the minority of creative ventures or brands who craft promo-less initiatives to attract the masses, one wonders which high-profile companies might follow suit.
At a time where people proclaim that social media has gained even more clout as a way to advertise, are “Joker” and Miller Lite deserving of a cold one for saying they can still thrive without making promo elements a part of everything that they do?
