Nov 08 2012
Ongoing NHL Lockout Leaves League Sponsors Disgruntled
On Wednesday, the Montreal and Denver based brewery Molson Coors announced that the NHL Lockout has triggered a reduction in sales across Canada for some of its marquee brands – namely Molson Canadian and Coors Light.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iok04t3TvE&feature=relmfu
As illustrated in the above video, Molson Canadian’s marketing campaign relies heavily on tying together its product with Canada’s love for hockey, and they have succeeded in doing so for years. I think I speak on the behalf of all Canadians in saying that when you think of Molson Canadian beer, you think of clinking pints or bottles together with a few friends while partaking in a hockey game.
In a recent interview, Molson Coors CEO Peter Swinburn said, once the lockout has commenced, his company will seek financial compensation for the impact that the lack of games has had on sales. This statement gives insight into another set of ramifications the lockout has brought about – unhappy sponsors. As the saga continues, it will be interesting to see if other major NHL sponsors, such as Canadian Tire, Kraft, and Sirius XM, plan on following in Molson’s footsteps.
Sources:
Montreal Gazette article: Molson Coors suffers sales blow in Canada from nearly two-month NHL lockout
CBC Sports article: NHL meets with sponsors concerned about lockout