London-based organisation Fnatic has announced it has entered into a partnership with Anheuser-Busch beer brand Bud Light.
The deal will see the launch of a new esports and beer promotion on packs of Bud Light, which is said to be the first of its kind in Europe.
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Each promotional pack contains a code where consumers have the chance to win a gaming night with a Fnatic professional player or one of 100 Fnatic Reach headsets.
Bud Light has also teamed up with Fnatic’s professional FIFA player Harry Hesketh to promote the launch of the partnership. A video featuring Hesketh and Bud Light’s mascot, the Bud Knight, will be featured on the organisation’s Youtube channel, alongside beer brand’s social channels and on Twitch from now through December.
This isn’t the first time the two parties have collaborated. In 2019, Bud Light and Fnatic hosted a viewing party for the League of Legends World Championship Finals in London.
Glen Calvert, COO at Fnatic, commented on the partnership in a release: “Esports is already loved by many around the world and we are thrilled to be partnering with a fun and light-hearted brand like Bud Light to help us raise awareness of this fantastic sport to the masses. The prizes on offer are really exciting for anyone who’s passionate about esports, or indeed anyone who is keen to get involved in this growing community of fans.”
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The partnership highlights what has already been a busy November for Fnatic. This month alone the organisation has added recording artist Not3s to its talent roster, collaborated with coffee product manufacturer Lavazza, and raised $10m (£7.53m) in its latest round of funding.
Martina Isella, Senior Brand Manager at Bud Light, also spoke on the deal: “This year we wanted to make sure we were reaching our target audience of 18 to 30-year-olds by modernising beer through culture and fun. We needed something that was more relevant than ever for this group, and esports is a growth phenomenon and one of the most rapidly growing passion points for this age bracket, which was accelerated by the pandemic.
Esports Insider says: Due to the current global situation, interest in esports and the industry has skyrocketed. Bud Light deciding on joining forces with one of the most recognisable organisations in the industry is certainly a smart move
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