Beer Choices Of Cobra Kai: A Brew-Tiful Analysis

In the Netflix series Cobra Kai, Johnny Lawrence, played by William Zabka, is known for his love of Coors Banquet Beer. In almost every episode, Lawrence can be seen drinking the beer from cans or bottles, whether he is at work, out in the world, or on a date. The prominence of the beer in the series has led some viewers to believe that Coors sponsors the show. However, this is not the case, as confirmed by Zabka himself, who noted that the beer fits his character well. The beer's appearance in the series has resulted in increased Google searches and sales for the brand.

Johnny Lawrence's preferred beer

The prominence of the beer in the show has led some viewers to believe that Coors sponsors Cobra Kai. However, this is not the case, as confirmed by Zabka himself. The beer is simply a fitting choice for the character, given its appearance in '80s action movies that Lawrence's character would have admired in his youth.

The beer's presence in the show has been so notable that Coors launched a marketing campaign centred around it. The #SeekTheBanquets campaign invited viewers to count the number of Coors Banquet sightings in season four for a chance to win a year's supply of the beer.

While Lawrence's character is a fan of Coors Banquet Beer, the actor who plays him, Zabka, has not actually drunk the beer on set, as the bottles are filled with water or iced tea. Despite this, Zabka has commented that the bottles "look cool".

Coors Banquet beer's prominence

Coors Banquet Beer has become an iconic part of the Cobra Kai series, with Johnny Lawrence (played by William Zabka) drinking it in almost every episode. The prominence of the beer in the show has led to a unique marketing opportunity for the brand, with Coors launching a competition for viewers to count the number of Coors Banquet sightings in season 4 for the chance to win a year's supply of beer. This campaign, titled "#SeekTheBanquets", aimed to become the unofficial official sponsors of Cobra Kai.

The beer's prominence in the show is notable as it does not have a formal relationship with the series. However, the brand has capitalised on its organic inclusion, with marketing manager Stephanie Clanfield stating, "we wanted to give them some love in return and gamify the viewing experience with 'Seek the Banquets'". The campaign also included posts on various social media platforms, including Reddit, which has a strong and active Cobra Kai community.

The beer's visibility in Cobra Kai has had a tangible impact on the brand, with increased Google searches and a 13% sales increase during the premiere week of season 4 compared to the previous year. This impact is further evidenced by the show's impressive viewership, with season 3 attracting 40 million viewers and over 170 million impressions among viewers 21 and over in the first month.

Coors' unofficial sponsorship

While Coors is not an official sponsor of Cobra Kai, the brand has been described as the "unofficial official beer of Cobra Kai". This is due to the show's main character, Johnny Lawrence, being depicted as a Coors Banquet beer enthusiast. In fact, it's hard to watch an episode of Cobra Kai without knowing what Johnny's favourite drink is. He drinks it from cans, bottles, at work, out in the world, and even when he's out to dinner on a date.

The prominent placement of Coors Banquet beer in Cobra Kai has been described as "product placement", with some viewers assuming that the brand must be a sponsor of the show. However, actor William Zabka, who plays Johnny, has confirmed that this is not the case. Instead, the choice of beer was simply the right fit for his character.

Despite not being an official sponsor, Coors has capitalised on the brand's prominent role in the show by launching a marketing campaign centred around the show. Before the release of season 4, Coors Banquet launched a contest inviting viewers to guess or count the number of Coors Banquet sightings in the new season. The winner received a dojo-load of beer, and the campaign turned Coors Banquet into the real star of the show.

The brand has also seen increased Google searches and sales due to its inclusion in Cobra Kai. Marketing manager for Coors Banquet, Stephanie Clanfield, has expressed excitement about the brand's "recurring role" in the series and the opportunity to "give some love" to the writers' room.

Coors' #SeekTheBanquets campaign

In seasons 1-3 of Cobra Kai, Johnny is often seen drinking Coors Banquet Beer, whether from cans or bottles, at work, out in the world, or on a date. This prominent placement sparked conversations among viewers about the beer's presence in the show. Leveraging this existing buzz, Coors launched the #SeekTheBanquets campaign ahead of the release of Cobra Kai's fourth season.

The campaign invited viewers to guess or count the number of Coors Banquet sightings in season 4, with the winner receiving a substantial amount of beer. This interactive element engaged the audience and encouraged them to pay close attention to the brand's presence in the show. By doing so, Coors Banquet became the "real star" of Cobra Kai, as stated by the Association of National Advertisers.

The #SeekTheBanquets campaign was a successful example of hijacking a cultural moment and leveraging it for brand exposure. By tapping into the popularity of Cobra Kai and the specific beer choice of its main character, Coors Banquet positioned itself as the official, unofficial sponsor of the show. This strategy allowed Coors to benefit from the show's hype without needing an official partnership.

The campaign also played into the legacy of Coors Banquet, which traces its history back to 1873. The beer has been featured in iconic 1980s action movies, such as Lethal Weapon and Sylvester Stallone's Cobra, further adding to its cultural significance. By associating with Cobra Kai, Coors Banquet reinforced its brand as an ""avant-garde, off-the-grid beer" that was experiencing a resurgence.

Overall, the #SeekTheBanquets campaign was a creative and effective strategy that utilized product placement, cultural relevance, and interactive audience engagement to establish Coors Banquet as the signature beer of Cobra Kai.

Coors' sales increase

The prominent placement of Coors beer in Cobra Kai has been a boon for the beverage company, with sales of the brand increasing. In the show, the main character, Johnny Lawrence, is almost always drinking Coors Banquet Beer, whether from cans or bottles, at work or in the world at large. This has led to Coors becoming the unofficial official beer of Cobra Kai.

The impact of this product placement was felt immediately, with Coors Light sales increasing by 10.7% in dollar sales, 5.5% in volume, and 1.5% in dollar share for the week ending April 8, 2023. This was in contrast to their main competitor, Bud Light, which saw declines in off-premise sales of nearly 7% for the same period.

The success of this partnership can be attributed to the specific choice of beverage for the character of Johnny Lawrence. As an 80s action movie trope, the choice of Coors Banquet Beer made sense for the character and gave the brand an avant-garde, off-the-grid appeal. This was further bolstered by the actor's comments on the beverage, with William Zabka, who plays Johnny Lawrence, stating that Coors should be paying him for all the exposure.

The success of Coors Light sales can also be attributed to the marketing campaigns for the brand, which helped to buck the trend of shrinking beer consumption in the United States. The company's turnaround plan, which involved expanding its portfolio beyond beer and focusing on higher-quality drinks, also played a role in the sales increase. This included discontinuing brands that weren't selling and rebranding to shift the focus from "Brewing" to "Beverage".

The company's CEO, Gavin Hattersley, acknowledged the impact of the marketing campaigns, stating that their powerful core brands were seeing renewed strength, with Coors Light and Miller Lite posting their strongest combined full-year dollar share performance in a decade. This success was reflected in the company's financial performance, with Molson Coors reporting its first sales growth in a decade in 2022, and continued growth in 2023, with sales expected to increase in the low single-digit percentage range.

Frequently asked questions