Gingerbread Dive Bar Kit by Miller High Life

According to folklore, there was a fabulous gingerbread house hidden deep in the woods, though stumbling on it nearly spelled doom for curious kids Hansel and Gretel. In more contemporary mythology, elaborate model homes made of the spicy cookie dough came straight out of the pristine North Pole. But when the architect is Miller High Life, the setting will be different, and so will most of the details. Welcome to the Gingerbread Dive Bar, located on the wrong side of the tracks, with sticky floors, dim lighting and beer-infused walls. It’s less Santa’s workshop and more Milwaukee saloon. The brand, which has staked its marketing claim on the blue-collar dive bar milieu, has launched its first DIY gingerbread kit for the holidays. Consumers, armed with $50 and quick reflexes, can try to snag one of the 200 products that will drop on Dec. 6. If the response is anything like Miller’s other recent stunts, the kits may disappear in moments, and there are no plans in place for a second batch, according to brand spokesman Jeremy Mullman. Miller, which often focuses on the major summer and fall selling seasons, has dabbled in the year-end holidays before. In 2020, the brand released high-tech WiFi-enabled coasters and delicate glasses sold in pairs, and in 2017 it rolled out a limited-edition 750-milliliter champagne bottle filled, of course, with “the champagne of beers,” honoring its iconic slogan. Complete with sticky floors For 2021’s activation, Miller wanted “to put a High Life spin on a time-honored tradition,” Mullman said, by creating its own gingerbread house. But instead of a “traditionally picturesque” structure, the brand made a shrunken version of a neighborhood watering hole, complete with pool table, dart board, vintage Miller wall art and miniature neon signs, an outdoor patio for cornhole tournaments and a tiny jukebox (assume it plays classic rock only). Some diminutive gingerbread people hang out in the pub. To build the carb-heavy decoration, consumers will get step-by-step instructions and embellishments like gum drops, peppermint discs, pretzel sticks, graham crackers and candy corn. There are also Vermont maple syrup packets that, when applied liberally, mimic that “distinct sticky floor feeling” of a truly lived-in dive bar. The stunt, which comes from agency ICF Next, aims to solidify Miller as “an approachable beer for anyone,” Mullman said. It comes on the heels of a few pandemic-era activations that proved to be massively popular with consumers. More than 100,000 people vied for a backyard dive bar worth $10,000 that Miller gave away in 2020 amid the Covid-19 lockdown and nightclub closures. More recently, consumers also flocked to a sweepstakes in August that gave away a $15,000 branded patio set, as demand spiked for outdoor furniture and supply dwindled. And in between those two events, the Molson Coors Brewing Company brand ran a Valentine’s Day stunt that paid for one couple’s date night—renting out their favorite tavern just for them—and picking up their bar tab for life. Miller also brought back its famed "High Life Man" ads, a classic campaign from the '90s and early aughts, directed by filmmaker Errol Morris, adding a quarantine twist. Holiday Miracle? Michael Bublé Finally Gets His Own Limited-Edition Bubly Sparkling Water

Alcohol Industry News

Miller High Life's DIY Kit Lets Consumers Build Their Own Gingerbread Dive Bars

The brand has staked its marketing claim on blue-collar watering hole culture

T.L. Stanley

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T.L. Stanley