Bud Light has partnered with esports team Fnatic to launch the first beer and esports on-pack promotion in Europe.

The on-pack promotion, available to convenience retailers now, offers shoppers the chance to win one of 100 Fnatic React headsets, as well as a chance to spend a gaming night with a Fnatic Pro player. To find out whether they’re one of the winners, shoppers need to enter a code online at budlightesports.co.uk. 

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To support the on-pack promotion, the brand has also teamed up with professional player and Fnatic creator, Harry Hesketh, in a 30-second video. It will appear across Bud Light social channels, on Fnatic’s YouTube page and on Twitch from now and through to December.

The supplier said Bud Light tends to appeal to younger, affluent shoppers, which ties in with esports’ core fan base in Britain of 18-24-year-olds.

It added the targeted social media ads around the campaign will reach 94% of 18-30-year-olds at least 19 times, helping drive esports fans and consumers into store.

Esports – professional competitive video gaming – has a significant fan base. Tournaments had more than 800 million viewers globally in the last year, with 7.3 million people watching esports in the UK.

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Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, which saw many of us spend more time at home, have helped further boost its popularity, with esports daily average viewers having increased by 65% during lockdown.

Martina Isella, senior brand manager for Bud Light, said: “The partnership will also help retailers unlock increased revenue with a strongly performing beer brand.

“During the lockdown period, Bud Light grew consistently in value ahead of standard lager and premium light lager. The brand also drove the most volume growth in the premium light sub-category of standard lager, compared to last year.”

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