@Coors Light – Why Not Joe Burrow?

As many of you know, I am a loyal Bengals fan! And I’ve been sitting on this one for a while. However, I think that I am ready to talk about it. After another collab with Patrick Mahomes, I have to ask the question.

So, Coors Light.

Post-Super Bowl, in the early months of 2023, the question popped into my head: Why hasn’t Coors Light tapped Joe Burrow for an endorsement?

I mean, think about it. Coors Light. Made to Chill; endorsed by:

• The Chillest Man in America
• Joe Cool
• Joe Chill
• Joe Brrrr

I thought this was a no-brainer. So, I did what most people would do, I went to the internet to find answers. And answers are what I found, explaining why this (to me, obvious) collab wasn’t a reality.

Fun fact: I didn’t realize that NFL players aren’t allowed to directly endorse beer.

Plus, Joe Burrow has said that he doesn’t drink often and not at all during the season.

However, Joe has found a way to partner with a beer brand, Guinness. In August of 2023, he launched their non-alcoholic line of products, Guinness 0, and again in March for a day of service in Cincinnati.

Did Coors miss out on an opportunity for Joe to promote their non-alcoholic offering, Coors Edge? I don’t think so, because its positioning is not the same as Coors Light’s, and being the non-alcoholic beer “brewed for beer lovers” also doesn’t align with Burrow’s lifestyle.

But the icing on the cake was seeing that not just anyone but Patrick Mahomes. Yeah, you read that right, Patrick Mahomes. The Patrick Mahomes that we watched go up against Joe Burrow in the 2021 and 2022 Conference Championships (the Patrick Mahomes who took away our chance to be in the 2022 Super Bowl, but I’m over it) cleverly finds ways to work with the beer brand by creating the Coors Light (Flashlight), the Coors Light Bear (not the same thing as beer), a Dad Bod line of tees and most recently through the Coors Light Time Capsule Commercial.

So, I won’t be hanging on to the hope of seeing a future collab with Joe Burrow and Coors Light.

But I still indulged in some ideas that swirled around in my head (this is like my version of fanfiction).

Concept: Under Pressure

Picture this: Highlight clips of Joe Burrow staying calm under pressure. The classic song Under Pressure by Queen plays in the background. Commentators narrate his cool demeanor and game-winning moves. Then, as the highlight reel ends, the screen fades to the brand’s recognizable typography, and the familiar Coors Light voice-over chimes in: “Made to Chill.”

Concept: The Chillest Man in America

I imagine those iconic and frosty blue Rocky Mountains. The classic Coors voice-over describing Coors Light: “Cold lagered, cold filtered, cold packaged.” The VO then states, “The makings of…” As the consumer, you’re anticipating the statement to be finished with “Coors Light” because, at this point, you know this is a Coors Light commercial. Instead, he finishes the statement with “The Chillest Man in America.” Joe Burrow appears on the screen, looking frosted with icy air swirling around him. Joe then finishes the spot with a “Choose Chill”, and the Coors Light logo appears.

Concept: Joe, Chill.

Another fun idea for a series of TV or social spots is people named “Joe” panicking, getting too rowdy or just totally overreacting. Someone nearby says, “Joe, Chill.” Then, you hear the crack of a can opening, and Joe Burrow appears where the other “Joe” once was — calm, cool, collected, and, oh yeah… chill. It’s kinda like the Snickers ads where people aren’t themselves when they’re hungry, or the State Farm spots and even a bit like that new Tina Fey Booking.com ad. Who knows, this idea may have potential in the alcoholic beverage world, but obviously, it needs more thought.

Or hey, maybe the brand could find a way to appear in one of Joe’s “icy” pre-game outfits.

Although fun, I think we’ll let this collab live within this blog post.

Unpacked.

Leave a comment with any additional fun collab concepts on your mind or collabs you can’t believe haven’t happened yet. I’d love to hear your thoughts!