- Smirnoff, the “Official Vodka Sponsor of the NFL,” is going after the sport’s younger (but still 21+) generation of fans with the latest iteration of its “We Do Game Days” campaign.
- The new campaign is heavily fashion-oriented, featuring Smirnoff-commissioned merchandise, created by Aliali May (an official NFL-licensed designer) and Gavin Mathieu and Kayla Jones.
- The brand is also partnering with influencers (and NFL wives) Claire Kittle and Krisin Juszcyk (a.k.a. “Team Whistle”) on a new digital series, “Wife’d Up, Mic’d Up.” In the series, Kittle and Jusczyk go through their pre-game rituals, which include making Smirnoff cocktails.
“[The new campaign] is in response to how NFL fandom has shifted for us,” said Jennifer Holiday Hudson, North America Brand Leader, Smirnoff Vodka. “They’re shifting about how they think about game day. It’s not sitting down and watching the game all day. They want fashion, and they want what’s new.”
The fashion will be offered in three game-day drops. The first one, on December 8, will feature designs from Kayla Jones, an NFL wife and founder of Women with Ballz, including a purse that’s part football, part handbag. In the second drop, on January 8, Supervan founder and designer Gavin Mathieu will unveil “football-inspired fashion tops like no other.” Aleali May’s final drop, coming on Jan. 21, will feature two pieces (a long-sleeve top and a varsity jacket) from her officially licensed NFL collection (and commissioned by Smirnoff).
The campaign is backed by company research that found nearly three-quarters (73%) of Gen Z NFL fans say they want more than just the game, including memes, snackable chaos and behind-the-scenes access. In addition, nearly half (49%) follow sports creators or athletes on social, and 38% say they don’t have a favorite franchise, instead following players rather than teams.
To help promote the drops, Smirnoff will run a sweepstakes through which one (21+) fan will win a trip to San Francisco during Super Bowl weekend, as well as an exclusively one-of-one gameday jacket designed by May. The brand will also have several other on-site activations in the lead-up to the game.
“[The Super Bowl] is one of the biggest cultural moments in the U.S.,” Holiday Hudson said. “We’re going to take advantage of that ‘surround sound’ of San Francisco.”
Elsewhere, Smirnoff will continue its partnership with DraftKings, creating custom segments for the online betting platform, including features on the Gridiron Prediction Series and a new social series on the DraftKings Network featuring former NFL player Vernon Davis. According to Smirnoff, a full quarter of GenZ fans bet weekly on NFL games, and nearly 40% use fantasy platforms to connect with friends. The brand will also continue its partnerships with 10 individual teams, including the Buffalo Bills, which were recently added.