Article Brief:
Hard Mtn Dew will throw one couple an all-expenses-paid wedding in Knoxville, Tennessee, where the only people who can attend are wedding crashers, per a press release.
Attendees of the wedding can expect to see guests dressed in attire inspired by the brand. Additionally, an open bar will be serving Hard Mtn Dew. Couples interested in winning a complete wedding package, including flights, accommodations, and the wedding service itself, can visit a designated microsite until October 16th to submit their entry.
For those who are not participating in the contest, there is an opportunity to "crash" the wedding by visiting the Eventbrite page for further details. This unique promotion, referencing pop culture, is launched in response to the skyrocketing average cost of weddings, which now stands at nearly $30,000. It follows a previous attention-grabbing stunt where a dedicated fan of the brand married a can of Hard Mtn Dew.
Article Insight:
Hard Mtn Dew strives to distinguish itself from the expanding range of alcoholic sodas, seltzers, and canned cocktails by utilizing experiential marketing techniques that amplify the distinctive brand identity of Mtn Dew while incorporating the intoxicating attributes of alcohol.
The marketer is offering a unique opportunity for a couple to have a free wedding where they can say "I Dew" in front of a crowd of wedding crashers. The man and maid of honor will be selected randomly on-site. Wedding crashing, which was popularized by a 2005 comedy, occurs at 1 out of every 14 weddings, as reported by the Wedding Venue Professionals Association. As wedding costs rise and COVID-19 impacts gathering plans, younger couples have different perspectives on the role, scale, and size of weddings compared to previous generations. These changing attitudes also extend to their preference for alternatives to traditional alcoholic beverages like beer, wine, and liquor.
Erica Taylor, the senior brand director for Hard Mtn Dew, stated that the brand continues to be amazed by the level of passion exhibited by its dedicated fans. She also expressed the brand's affinity for embracing unconventional ideas.
In a previous marketing campaign, Hard Mtn Dew rewarded a consumer with a trip to Las Vegas after they "married" a can of its hard soda. Additionally, the brand celebrated its one-year anniversary by organizing a "Definitely Over 21" spring break event at a retirement community in Florida.
The most recent addition to the trend of incorporating brand love into wedding ceremonies is a collaborative product between PepsiCo and Boston Beer Company. Taco Bell led the way in 2017 with weddings at its Las Vegas Cantina location, and later expanded into the virtual realm in 2022. In 2021, Dunkin' introduced drive-thru weddings for Valentine's Day, and this year Oscar Mayer transformed its iconic Wienermobile into a wedding chapel named the Wienermobile of Love.