Heineken’s Dos Equis goes all out on College Football Playoff sponsorship
In fall 2016, some 20.5 million students are expected to attend American colleges and universities, constituting an increase of about 5.2 million since fall 2000, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Between 2000 and 2014, the 18-to 24-year-old population rose from approximately 27.3 million to nearly 31.5 million. The percentage of 18-to 24-year-olds enrolled in college also was higher in 2014 (40.0%) than in 2000 (35.5%).
Nevertheless, Heineken subsidiary Dos Equis has released a new Snapchat filter as part of a wider move onto the field of College Football Playoff (CFP) marketing. Heineken is the second largest beer producer in the world.
As The Drum News report, Heineken and Dos Equis are overseeing a sweepstake to win tickets for the national championships by taking the most interesting pictures with its Snapchat filters and lenses in an extension of its ‘Most Interesting Man in the World’ campaign. Later this November, Heineken is set ramp up the partnership with the release of two football-themed commercials.
Targeting minors through sports
Data from STATISTA provides information on the distribution of U.S. Snapchat users as of February 2016. 23% of Snapchat users in the United States were aged between 13 and 17 years. And up to 50% of Snapchat users are below the legal age for alcohol use.
©STATISTA
Snapchat user demographics: Distribution of Snapchat users in the United States as of February 2016, by age
All 50 US Federal States prohibit providing alcohol to persons under the age of 21.
The latest advertising move by Heineken constitutes another example of unethical business practices putting profits over health and well-being of young people.