The start of the 2023-24 NFL season is now just over a week away, and the league’s partners are gearing up with new campaigns and limited-edition products. Catch up on all the ads that premiered this week in our Weekly Must Reads.

The NFL Pokes Fun at Scripting Complaints

With just a couple weeks left before the official start of the new season, the NFL kicked things off with a new tongue-in-cheek campaign starring Keegan Michael Key and several NFL stars. Titled “You Can’t Make This Stuff Up,” the commercials pretend that each NFL season is a scripted television show, poking fun at a common complaint among disgruntled fans. It’s the latest attempt from the NFL to connect with consumers, particularly younger audiences who consume much of their content through online conversations and memes.

According to 72andSunny, the agency who developed the ads, the campaign is meant to be both humorous, and a highlight the incredible feats NFL athletes achieve each season. The first commercial premiered last week during a Thursday night preseason game, and the campaign will continue throughout the season. Watch the first ad here: https://www.thedrum.com/news/2023/08/24/satirical-nfl-ads-starring-keegan-michael-key-star-athletes-mock-internet-theories

Bud Light Returns with NFL Campaign

Bud Light has been an official beer partner of the NFL for 27 years, and this year they’re marking the start of another season with its “biggest NFL campaign ever,” according to the brand. The new campaign, called “Easy to Sunday,” includes TV and digital ads celebrating fans’ gameday traditions, along with limited-edition beer cans featuring logos and illustrations for 23 of the league’s teams. Additionally, each can will include a QR code that customers can scan for a chance to win one of 2,000 free subscriptions to the NFL Sunday Ticket and gift cards to merchandise shop Fanatics.

The new campaign marks Bud Light’s first major return to sports advertising has been since sparking controversy among conservative consumers with their Dylan Mulvaney partnership during March Madness. While the company initially saw a drop in revenue, consumer opinion on the brand has since stabilized, and Bud Light’s CEO notes that most just want to “focus on beer and the platforms all consumers love, such as the NFL.” Read more about their upcoming campaign here: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2023/08/24/bud-light-nfl-cans-boycott-sales-stock-dip/70668076007/

Guinness Sparks Battle of the Joe Cools

To promote their new nonalcoholic beer, Guinness is pitting two famous QBs against each other: the legendary Joe Montana and young star Joe Burrow. The two Joes are “battling for zero,” with Burrow sporting the NFL’s new number zero jersey and Montana taunting that he may need to start wearing the number. The timely ad highlights Guinness’ offerings in the increasingly popular nonalcoholic beer category, while also appealing to football fans across generations. The spot will be the first in a series of ads to premiere throughout the NFL season.

Other brands are also using the league’s new jerseys to promote their “zero” products. Recently, Pepsi partnered with running back D’Andre Swift to give away 100 number zero jerseys to lucky NFL fans. Find out more about brands’ timely NFL ads here: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/Guinness-NFL-zero-alcohol-campaign-Joe-Burrow/691456/

Pumpkin Spice Returns for an Early Fall

For other consumers, August doesn’t mark the start of football season – it’s the start of pumpkin spice season. Last week, brands across the food and beverage category rolled out their seasonal pumpkin spice products. While coffee brands like Starbucks and Dunkin’ used to start their autumn specials in early September, launch dates have inched farther into August each year to satisfy their pumpkin fanatic customers.

Specialty coffees may be the original source of the pumpkin spice craze, but the flavor has now extended into many other product categories. Consumers can now find pumpkin-flavored cookies, cereal, body wash, and much more at their local supermarkets. Catch up on all the latest news about the best-selling fall flavor here: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/pumpkin-spice-coffee-august-2023-starbucks-dunkin-caribou/691760/