Coors Brewing Co. will launch a sports-themed educational campaign today aimed at preventing underage drinking.
The MVParents initiative employs ex-NFL stars and the resources of the nonprofit Search Institute to encourage greater parental involvement in children’s lives.
A tongue-in-cheek TV spot, to be aired nationally Wednesday, spoofs autograph-seeking fans by showing former pro football stars – including John Elway, Barry Sanders, Troy Aikman and Marcus Allen – chasing an average American dad for his autograph, amazed by his heroic parenting skills.
The substance of the campaign will be educational materials and resources available to parents in grocery stores and online Wednesday at www.mvparents.com.
Minneapolis-based Search Institute, which promotes healthy children through parental involvement and programs, will use its 40 “Development Assets” as part of the MVParents initiative.
“They’ve traditionally marketed to churches and schools,” said Bill Young, manager of Coors’ U.S. Corporate Responsibility Group and initiator of MVParents. “And as a brewer, we don’t have a whole lot of credibility in telling people how to parent. So we found the credibility in the Search Institute.”
Partnering with the Search Institute allows the nonprofit to reach consumers through Coors’ marketing channels, Young added. He declined to comment on the cost of the MVParents program.
According to Coors spokesperson Kabira Hatland, the campaign is not related to a class-action lawsuit brought against Coors – and other alcohol beverage companies – in December 2003 alleging that the companies market to minors. The case is pending.
Golden-based Coors Brewing Co. is the U.S. subsidiary of Molson Coors Brewing Co., with headquarters in Denver and Montreal.
Staff writer John Wenzel can be reached at 303-820-1378 or jwenzel@denverpost.com.
