Hockey fans often head to the fridge during commercial breaks, but Molson Coors Canada is once again bringing the fridge to them.
As part of its ongoing NHL sponsorship, Molson Coors Canada has brought back the Molson Canadian Beer Fridge in a new TV spot that shows it being transported by helicopter to an outdoor rink high in the Canadian Rockies.
It has previously been opened with a Canadian passport and by singing “O’Canada,” but – perhaps inevitably – a love of hockey is the latest key to accessing the most famous fridge in Canada.
Created by Rethink with media from MEC, the 30-second English and French “Lift-Off/Décollage” spot opens with historical NHL footage while the voiceover states: “We live for hockey: from the epic goals, to the iconic arenas,” before continuing, “but this game was born outside…so that’s where we’re taking it.”
The spot continues with video of the iconic red fridge being flown to a pristine rink high in the mountains, and offers viewers a chance to skate on the rink by telling what they do for the game of hockey on social media, using the #AnythingForHockey/#FouDuHockey hashtag introduced last year.
Molson Canadian brand manager Andy Gervais said there are countless examples of people doing amazing things to demonstrate their love of the game, from creating elaborate backyard rinks to building an ice cleaner out of an old golf cart.
Gervais called the outdoor rink Molson’s “grand gesture” towards the sport and its fans, with its story being told in a series of spots linked to milestone events on the NHL calendar.
“Molson Canadian has a long tradition with hockey in Canada and I think the creation of the rink is a celebration of hockey in its purest form,” he said. “We really wanted to take the game to new heights, literally, and that’s why we chose to place it on top of a mountain.”
Gervais said the company knew it had something good when it first introduced the passport fridge in 2013, but admits to being caught off-guard by the affection consumers have shown the ale-dispensing appliance.
“They’ve really gravitated to the fridge, and it really has become kind of a beacon for the brand that’s highly recognizable and fun,” he said. “The evolution of the beer fridge has been really great, and we wanted to continue that legacy.”
The TV campaign coincided with the “Molson Canada NHL Face-Off” event at Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas Square, featuring a free concert by plaid-rockers The Tragically Hip, giveaways and a live viewing party for the opening game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens.
