\n
If a product is good enough for the athletes who compete in Ironman races\u2014grueling, 140.6-mile triathlons that take place around the world\u2014then it\u2019s probably good enough for just about anyone.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the message that the marketing team at Athletic Brewing, the non-alcoholic beer company that has been an official Ironman sponsor going on five years, is hoping to convey through its sponsorship efforts of the races.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Ironmen and women are our torture test,\u201d Athletic Brewing CMO Andrew Katz told Marketing Brew. \u201cThese are hardcore athletes. They obviously take their training really seriously, they obviously are competitors, and if they embrace the brand, then that\u2019s a really good sign.\u201d<\/p>\n
Non-alcoholic beer sales are surging, with the category on track to surpass ale as the second-largest beer category this year, and as Gen Z is drinking less than other age groups, the market for NA booze brands is increasingly competitive. Athletic Brewing, which was valued at $800 million last year, is looking to endurance sports to help the brand gain distance on its competition.<\/p>\n
Racing roots<\/h2>\n
Before Athletic Brewing became the official non-alcoholic beer of Ironman, the brand had a presence at endurance races including Ironmans, Ragnars, and Spartans, Katz said. Athletic Brewing co-founder and CEO Bill Shufelt is an endurance athlete, and Katz said he used to personally hand out samples at races up and down the East Coast after completing them himself.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think his in-going hypothesis was: People want to drink something really delicious after they\u2019re done racing, but they also don\u2019t want to undo the good,\u201d Katz said. \u201cThey\u2019re not necessarily ready for alcohol at 11am, but a beer sounds really good, and that was how it began.\u201d<\/p>\n
Five years into the official partnership, Katz said the positive ROI generated from the tie-up prompted the brand to re-up its deal. <\/em>Athletic Brewing\u2019s new deal, announced last month, extends through the 2028 season and includes continued title sponsorship rights to the Ironman 70.3 Oceanside and the Ironman Lake Placid triathlons.<\/p>\nIn addition to having its name on those races, Athletic Brewing sponsors teams of ambassadors that compete in Ironman events, offers samples during race weekends, and has a brand presence on the course, including on the podium, where winners sip Athletic beers. Ironman and Athletic Brewing have also collaborated on a co-branded brew called Personal Record IPA, an \u201cawe-inspiring IPA that celebrates the sweet taste of achievement in any aspect of life.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The on-the-ground activations are meant to raise interest and awareness for the brand, especially among Athletic Brewing\u2019s core audience of \u201chealthy, active, outdoor enthusiasts,\u201d Katz said. The company reaches about 100,000 people annually through Ironman events, he told us, and while the bulk of its efforts are in the US, the brand has also made inroads in the UK and Canada.<\/p>\n
\u201cWord of mouth is still our best marketing [tool], hands down,\u201d Katz said.<\/p>\n
Something\u2019s brewing<\/h2>\n
Katz and his team aren\u2019t only looking to connect with endurance athletes, and the brand targets anyone who cares about health and wellness, he said. Athletic Brewing\u2019s audience is typically in the 25\u201354 age range, with higher incomes and education levels, Katz said.<\/p>\n
Athletic Brewing also isn\u2019t only for teetotalers. The brand instead aims to position its products as a \u201cchaser\u201d for hard alcohol, a \u201cspacer or a pacer\u201d for people who want to moderate their drinking, or a \u201creplacer\u201d during certain occasions like weeknight sports games, Katz explained.<\/p>\n
Whether it\u2019s protein consumption or marathon running, interest in health and fitness is on the rise in the US, and non-alcoholic beer companies are seeing a windfall in the form of a growing number of people looking to cut back on drinking. Beverage industry analytics company IWSR reported 9% growth in sales volume for non-alcoholic beer last year.<\/p>\n
To reach the growing demographic of health-conscious consumers, Athletic Brewing has struck up partnerships with other sports and entertainment properties outside of the endurance space, including Arsenal FC, the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, the Premier Lacrosse League, the Vans Warped Tour, and Live Nation, as well as inked several NIL deals.<\/p>\n
Moving forward, Katz said he\u2019s looking to further grow the brand\u2019s presence in live music, given that \u201cthe ability for us to convert a lot of new people in those moments is extraordinarily high.\u201d He\u2019s also hoping to do more with emerging sports like volleyball and lacrosse in order to make an impact beyond sampling and the \u201clogo slapping\u201d that some sports marketers have come to fear.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think [there are] some sports that are overlooked by a lot of companies where we can really add value to the experience, as opposed to just being another logo and just another brand that is easily swapped out,\u201d Katz said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Read the full article here<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If a product is good enough for the athletes who compete in Ironman races\u2014grueling, 140.6-mile triathlons that take place around the world\u2014then it\u2019s probably good enough for just about anyone. That\u2019s the message that the marketing team at Athletic Brewing, the non-alcoholic beer company that has been an official Ironman sponsor going on five years, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22833,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[78],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-22832","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-marketing"},"yoast_head":"\n
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