Miller Lite Goes Late Night to Expand Target - late night tv commercials - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

Brandweek, Jan 15, 2001 by Kathleen Sampey

In the most high-profile collaboration between Ogilvy & Mather and a shop in its Syndicate group of creative boutiques, a sub-campaign for Miller Lite broke last week during a non-sports event.

The six 15-second spots created by Ogilvy and Work, a Richmond, Va.-based shop, comprise the sub-campaign to the "Grab a Miller Lite, it's Miller time," campaign from Ogilvy that broke in March 2000.

Scott Bussen, marketing communications manager at Milwaukee, Wis.-based Miller Brewing, said the sub-campaign and the non-traditional media buy during late night television are meant to broaden the appeal of Miller Lite among 21-25-year-old males, beyond the traditional 21-35-year-old target.

"The strategy for the Miller Lite and the sub-campaign is the same," Bussen said. "To demonstrate the importance of camaraderie and good times, and to be able to laugh at yourself in a way that's not mean-spirited."

The first three spots broke late last week on CBS during The Late Show with David Letterman and on NBC's Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

The first spot shows a 20-ish male addressing an off-camera female, saying that if it doesn't work out with her current boyfriend, she can take his phone number. Cut to a bewildered woman in a wedding dress. Another spot shows three guys on a fishing dock with a cooler full of Miller Lite as one of them talks incessantly about hating how much people always talk. Bussen described the scenarios as amusing "guy-type moments."

David Apicella, executive creative director at Ogilvy, said five people from his shop and five from Work created the sub-campaign that will run throughout the first quarter.

"It's as if they are another team in my group, Apicella said fondly of the Work staff.

Bussen would not discuss billings on the sub-campaign media buy.

Last year, Miller Lite spent $80 million in measured media in the U.S., according to Competitive Media Reporting.