Newcastle Brown Ale's Creative Super Bowl Campaign: A Novel Crowdfunding Strategy

Newcastle Brown Ale beer, a brand owned by Heineken International , grabbed the headlines when it made an innovative entry into the Super Bowl advertising slot. The Super Bowl, a major football event in the US conducted by the National Football League (NFL), was one of the few events on American television that got a massive audience that covered almost all demographics and age groups. Airing a commercial during the Super Bowl was invaluable for advertisers seeking an audience for their products and services. With Super Bowl ads running into US$4.5 million for a 30-second spot, only the world’s biggest brands could afford to advertise during the event. Newcastle could not afford the slot but was determined to enter the Super Bowl 2015 campaign as many viewers watched the event only for the commercials. It came up with the strategy for a crowdfunding campaign called the ‘Band of Brands’ where it would produce a commercial by teaming up with other brands...