Social Media Marketing Example #13: Miller Brewing Company

Nothing quite encapsulates the feeling of the weekend like a nice, cold beer. So, in honor of the many few cold cans I emptied this weekend, I am going to continue with our series of 26 Social Media Marketing Examples in Detail by examining the second most popular beverage on college campuses across the US: Miller Lite. Now if I could just get this headache to go away…

We all know that this golden purveyor of thirst quenching deliciousness is triple hops brewed, but what is the “original lite beer” doing in the world of social media? Let’s take a moment to examine:

Miller Lite MySpace Page

miller-lite-myspace

As someone who logs into MySpace once in a blue moon a week, I was pretty impressed with Miller Lite’s MySpace page. We all know how many profiles are chock full of superfluous “junk,” creating pages that are approximately 4 feet long, but this page has just the right amount of sharable content – widgets (like the sweet game of spin the bottle below), wallpapers and a variety of procrastination-worthy games. The page even links to a few geographic-specific pages (Philly, Orlando, and Tampa) where users can find out what events are going on in their area, check out photos and more.

Miller Lite Facebook Page

miller-lite-facebook

Miller Lite’s Facebook fan page can definitely provide some solid entertainment while enjoying an ice cold beverage in your downtime. When I stumbled onto the page, I was greeted by a plethora of interactive and engaging elements of the page, such as the photos, a link to the iPhone application and more games. The feature that captivated me the most? Gifts. I know, the gifts thing seems so average, but for some reason, there was nothing I enjoyed more on the page than sending little graphics of Miller Lite pony bottles. I was more than willing to become a fan in order to utilize this functionality, plus I appreciate the multiple purposes it serves. Reserving certain features for fans is not only cool for Miller Lite lovers who can share their fanaticism, but it is also great exposure for Miller Lite because gifts appear on Facebook profiles and in the live newsfeed.

Like the MySpace page, fan page also includes photos and short bios for six Orlando-based Taste Ambassadors. And again, their purpose isn’t clear on this page nor is it noted whether or not the featured six girls are the company’s only Ambassadors (after doing a little digging, I discovered they’re not – there are Taste Ambassadors all over the country). Perhaps they chose to optimize these girls as the faces of Miller Lite, leveraging them to engage with users on Facebook. I can merely speculate…

Did I mention this page creates a sense of yearning for the carefree days of college? I think I just reverted back to senior year spring semester as I excelled at the Quarterback Challenge. I warn encourage you to check it out.

Miller Lite YouTube Page

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The only apparent official YouTube presence maintained by Miller Lite a tribute to veterans, which I could only deduce was part of a past celebratory campaign. Despite housing 50 videos, there are only three subscribers and 664 channel views. Instead of creating campaign-specific YouTube channels, Miller Lite should foster a YouTube community with one main YouTube channel and playlists for each of their campaigns.

Miller Lite Twitter Profile

miller-lite-twitter

There are two Twitter accounts linked to Miller Lite, @millerliteiowa and @genbev, neither of which has many ounces of legitimacy. Both accounts have weak followings, due to erratic and infrequent updates. With the understanding that an unofficial presence exists on this continuously growing network, Miller Lite should consider utilizing some of the lovely Taste Ambassadors to build a Twitter following around ongoing Miller Lite events and promotions and to interact with fans.

Miller Lite iPhone Applications

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There are two Miller Lite applications for the iPhone: Beer Time and Next Round. Beer Time is designed to help you cut through the crowds at a bar. Here’s how it works: you type in what drink you want, how you want it served, and then push your iPhone toward the bartender past all of the people in front of you. Sounds more like a recipe for beer-soaked iPhone disaster to me, but hey, I’ve witnessed worse.

Next Round is a sort of electronic manager of who is supposed to order the next round of drinks when you’re hanging with your friends at the bar. You put the phone on the table, activate the app and an animation points out who is getting the next round. Sounds good to me! Now, I just wonder if there’s a way to program it so it conveniently never points to me…

Final Thoughts

Given the ideal target audience for this brand (20-something, outgoing, energetic), I think Miller Lite is doing a pretty good job of providing content through a variety of online platforms that is engaging, interactive and highly entertaining. I do see some room for improvement as far as maximally utilizing outlets such as Facebook and Twitter for actually interacting with the fan base. Would I follow a local/regional Taste Ambassador who was giving me the scoop on specials and promotions? Definitely. I’m curious to see where they continue to take their efforts. What do you think of what they’ve done so far? What would you like to see happen in the future? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!



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