USA: Miller Brewing to reposition Icehouse beer trough online ads

Miller Brewing has kicked off a repositioning of Icehouse beer, crafting Web executions to reach young male drinkers, Adweek released August 21.

Miller and Dennis Digital have hooked up to create "Brewtron," a fun-loving robot that stars in videos online.

Ice beers, which are brewed at lower temperatures, were introduced in the early 1990s. The process yields higher alcohol content: Icehouse has 5-5.5 percent alcohol, compared to 4.2 percent for Miller Lite.

Brewtron is meant to convey the notion that Icehouse is the perfect "pre-game" beer for men in their 20s, according to Tom McLoughlin, director of Icehouse. "You're not going to drink imports or crafts," he said. "But you're not going to trade all the way down and drink malt liquor."

Icehouse hopes to expand beyond its regional appeal to a national audience. Miller's last marketing push for the brand, in 2003, used spot television to appeal to consumers in six Southeastern states with geared to the 28-34 demographic. Those ads emphasized the beer's small-brewery roots.

This time around, Miller is relying on print ads in Maxim and Athlon sports publications, as well as online ads and in-store promotions. Offline efforts are designed to drive viewers to the Web, for both promotions and the Brewtron entertainment.

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