Why The 2023 Super Bowl Blue Moon Commercial Was So Confusing
If you were confused by the Blue Moon Super Bowl commercial, you're not the only one. Despite the fact it was revealed to be a Blue Moon ad by the end, the majority of the 30-second spot was dedicated to showcasing Miller Lite and Coors Light. Soon after the commercial aired, viewers took to Twitter to share their thoughts. "The Blue Moon commercial is one of the dumbest I've ever seen. You put the majority of your money into spotlighting two other products in your market. Idiotic," one tweet reads. "What a terrible spot. Marketing 101: Don't give your competition air time!" another adds.
Though many are jumping to the conclusion that Blue Moon must have made a huge mistake and someone is going to get fired over the ensuing confusion, as it turns out, the commercial is more clever than people realize. And no, it isn't just because bad publicity is still publicity.
It wasn't technically a Blue Moon ad
Though the text at the end of the commercial reads "It's a Blue Moon commercial," the truth is it's actually a Molson Coors and DraftKings commercial. Back in January, Molson Coors announced a collaboration with the online betting app on a commercial and contest where fans could predict the plot of the commercial for a chance to win. Most people would be able to guess based on the company's name that Molson Coors is the company behind Coors beers, but it's the same one that distributes both Miller and Blue Moon.
Given that this is Molson Coors' first commercial since the 1980s (via Forbes) it makes perfect sense that the company would take full advantage of its allotted 30 seconds. The commercial will fly over the heads of those who don't know the three beers belong to the same company, but for Molson Coors, it's a total win either way. "This 30-second spot is a marketer's dream," Molson Coors CMO Michelle St. Jacques says. "The spot is a celebration for what our premium light brands stand for, and sneaking in Blue Moon in the last few seconds is just the cherry on top." Whether you were confused or not, Molson Coors is just happy people are talking about its beers.