Corona Hard Seltzer has partnered with FaZe Clan to become the official hard seltzer of the prominent eSports organization. The brands are teaming up to create opportunities for players of any skill level to experience the exciting world of eSports and gaming without the intense focus on competition that is so often a prerequisite for the sport.
“FaZe Clan’s approach to the sport and crossover culture will bring Corona’s refreshingly chill perspective to the game and FaZe Clan fans,” Vice President of Experiential and Lifestyle Marketing at Constellation Brands, Rene Ramos, insists.
Corona Hard Seltzer and FaZe Clan will launch a national gaming tournament, create co-branded merchandise and reach out to gamers and fans across markets. The pair will also host a series of happy hour live stream events beginning this week via the video game live streaming service Twitch.
The live streams will feature notable FaZe personalities such as Swagg, Temperrr, Nate Hill, Pamaj among others. Fans who tune-in have a shot at winning exclusive prizes as well as other special incentives.
eSports Is a Coveted Endorsement
The term eSports describes structured and competitive online gaming, often for money and prizes. The history of eSports dates back to a 1972 Spacewar video game competition at Stanford University. But it wasn’t until the early 2000s, with the popularization of online gaming as well as the creation of better and more accessible technology, that competitive video games exploded on a global level.
As of 2020 there were nearly half a billion eSports followers. The global eSports market was valued at over 1 billion dollars as of this year.
“To successfully bring the iconic Corona brand into the eSports world, we had to seek out the most prominent and influential team in the space,” Ramos said of the partnership.
FaZe Clan fits that bill. They are the most popular eSport organization in the world. Founded in 2010, the company consists of gamers and content creators who draw revenue from participating in gaming competitions and tournaments, as well as the creation of content and lifestyle merch. FaZe Clan has a following more than 230 million strong across all of their platforms and is currently worth over $305 million.
“As a gaming and lifestyle brand, we’re excited to continue to broaden the categories we are in […] FaZe partnering with an iconic name like Corona is further evidence of the fact that gaming continues to gain momentum and enter the mainstream,” said Lee Trink, the CEO of FaZe Clan.
Anheuser-Busch Claim at Risk
Corona Hard Seltzer was the #4 hard seltzer brand in the US in 2020, with an IRI market share of nearly 6% in the US seltzer market. However, Corona Hard Seltzer isn’t the only brand eyeing the gaming market. Anheuser-Busch recently filed with the US Patent and Trademark office to trademark “Official Hard Seltzer of Esports” as well as “Official Hard Seltzer of Gamers.” It will be interesting to see which brand is able to capture the attention of the gaming community.
Corona Hard Seltzer and FaZe Clan are major players in their respective industries. Both companies hope this partnership will create new fan bases for their brands.
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