When it comes to the Super Bowl, Molson Coors is locked out and outspent. AB InBev owns exclusive rights to airing commercials during America’s biggest game day. This leaves Molson no other choice but to take a strategically earned-first approach to punch above its weight and grab an outsized share of attention. Molson did just that with Miller 64’s “What Number is Smaller?” by drawing attention to the fewer calories in its beer than in Bud Light Next’s new line.

Bud Light was using a Super Bowl spot to launch Bud Light Next, a new, extra light beer with 80 calories. Our task was to disrupt this launch and keep Miller 64 in the conversation, even though we didn’t quite have the budget for a Super Bowl spot.

Miller 64 has 64 calories. New Bud Light Next has 80 calories. But what number is smaller? Who knew making health-conscious choices could involve so much math? With a math problem this advanced, we needed some backup. Upon the Super Bowl product launch of Bud Light Next, we asked the public to help us determine what number was smaller. But consistent with the times, the nation was divided. Because 7% of the population believed that 80 was a smaller number than 64, we had no choice but to bring in a world-renowned mathematician to solve this equation once and for all. (Not that those 7% believe experts anyway.)

The strategy focused on the rational benefit—the fact that Miller 64 has fewer calories than Bud Light Next. We wanted to deliver this message in an emotively powerful and fun way. It wasn’t about hardcore dieting or keeping track of literally everything you ate. It highlighted the very simple, easy-to-grasp comparison that reinforced why Miller 64 beat Bud Light Next.

Our target is health-conscious but still struggles with sorting through all the complex ways of becoming healthier. They aren’t obsessive about it, so simple, easy-to-understand triggers for them to feel like “yeah, that’s healthier” (particularly with alcohol) work well.

Our hero asset – a 60-second spot with famous mathematician Ken Ono – was unleashed across social, living on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and TikTok, with full and cutdown versions. We twinned it with a call to action to drive people to vote for what number is smaller, 64 or 80. Organic conversation was already being driven when we got to work pitching our story to news outlets across consumer lifestyle, business, ad trade and drinks trade. We aimed to drum up an outsized share of attention in the week leading up to the Super Bowl and then throughout the event itself. The push was fairly contained in this sense, and it worked. Soon enough, buzz for Miller 64’s hotly debated question led to multiple placements in coveted listings of the top Super Bowl ads of 2022 (without ever actually airing during Super Bowl ad time).

Named among “Top Super Bowl Ads of 2022” (without ever actually airing during Super Bowl ad time) in renowned publications, including Esquire, Maxim and ESPN.

371M impressions

68 secured online placements

26 secured social placements

8 secured broadcast placements

100% positive/neutral sentiment

68% headline inclusion

106,845 people participated in the survey

90,436 signed up for free beer

50,083 opt-ins (first-party data collection)

329,535 sweepstake entries

36% brand awareness compared with 32% of Bud Light Next (which Bud Light Next had a much bigger budget)