Muscle Milk, the ready-to-drink protein beverage, is reinvigorating its brand by debuting limited-edition bottles themed after eight college football teams.
The program includes Georgia Tech, University of Miami, Ohio State, University of Colorado, Arizona State, University of California-Berkeley, USC and UCLA with each bottle playing on the theme of the corresponding school.
For example, the UCLA-themed bottle includes the name of the team, The Bruins, and is decorated in the team’s colors, blue and gold. The bottles, 7,500 cases in each market, are expected to be on shelves through November.
To promote the beverages locally, the brand, made by CytoSport, is running region specific out-of-home advertising and radio spots. Events will take place on- and off- campuses and will include promotional giveaways as brand reminders and launch parties. P-O-P materials and a sweepstakes will also support the program. The 14-ounce beverages—all chocolate flavored, the No. 1 seller—is being sold at retail outlets in and around the campuses.
Muscle Milk hosted the first annual Social Studies Music Tour to launch the programs at Georgia Tech and the University of Colorado where the campuses were transformed into festival-like atmospheres.
Muscle Milk’s sports marketing department lead the effort, a “huge undertaking” requiring complex licensing agreements and meeting production deadlines for the new labeling.
The program is based on the success of two prior local campaigns, one with Shaquille O’Neal earlier this year, and then with The Chicago Cubs over the summer.
“We saw a lot of success with those two programs in the local markets and we really started looking at other assets that might resonate with consumer,” John Peirano, vice president of marketing for Muscle Milk, said.
Retailers were excited about the program, which resulted in a “big increase” in in-store visibility and increased sales.
“People are so passionate about college athletics,” Peirano said. “We saw big upswings in sales, not only in chocolate, but around all of our [eight] flavors.”
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