Within the alcoholic beverage industry, the right packaging at the right time can make all the difference in winning over consumers. Case in point: Bud Light, the official beer of the NFL, is introducing all-new team cans for the 2017-2018 NFL season that will feature the logos of all 32 teams. In previous seasons, Bud Light has used this NFL-themed packaging for its aluminum cans, but this will be the first year where the packaging will also appear on Bud Light aluminum bottles.

This packaging and branding could add up to higher sales in 2017-2018 for Anheuser-Busch, the brewers of Bud Light. If given a choice between Bud Light and another light beer, which one do you think NFL football fans will pick? The rollout of the new team-themed cans is timed to coincide with the official start of the NFL football season on September 7, when the Kansas City Chiefs will play the New England Patriots in a highly-anticipated Thursday night game.

Bud Light has been looking for new ways to extend its partnership with the NFL, and the new team-themed cans are a great way to stir up fan excitement for the season. "NFL team packaging has become something fans look for from Bud Light year after year," said Anna Rogers, Director of Marketing, NFL, Bud Light. "We are proud to continue that tradition and give fans another way to support their favorite teams while enjoying NFL football with their friends. We are also very excited to roll out NFL packaging on aluminum bottles for the first time in addition to cans.”

The team-themed cans will be available for all 32 NFL teams, giving Bud Light an easy way to build brand loyalty across different geographies. West Coast football fans, might prefer cans featuring the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams, while East Coast football fans might prefer cans from the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles. And, just in case fans are watching multiple games on multiple screens during every football Sunday, Anheuser-Busch is making available a 36-pack featuring all 32 NFL teams. Imagine showing up for a football-watching party with a 36-pack - you’ll be the immediate center of attention.

And, to further support the branding of Bud Light during the NFL season, Anheuser-Busch will run a series of TV commercials using the tagline “Famous Among Friends.” This ongoing “Famous Among Friends” campaign celebrates the fun times made while building friendships over football and beer. The first commercial spot is slated to debut during the season-opening match-up between the Kansas City Chiefs and the defending Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots.

This focus on beer and friendships is a natural fit for the NFL season, which typically brings together groups of friends to watch games featuring the hometown team on Sunday afternoons. And so now, in addition to wearing the jersey of your favorite NFL player, you can also drink the beer that has branding from your favorite NFL team. It’s a great example of how branding can be extraordinarily powerful in building strong relationships between alcoholic beverage companies and consumers.