Just a week before the start of classes, hundreds of Jason and Travis Kelce’s fans packed into The Colonial Theater in Phoenixville, PA, with eyes glued to the stage.
This was no preseason Eagles game, but rather the newest short film of the light beer company, Garage Beer: “Brewmite II,” starring Jason Kelce.
Jason Kelce, former NFL Eagles center, and Travis Kelce, current tight end for the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs and now fiancé of Taylor Swift, took ownership of Garage Beer in July 2024.
The hometown watch party had the chaos fans came to expect from the Kelce brothers, with Santa Claus shouting Eagles chants and samples of the brand’s new lime-flavored beer before the premiere. The film itself featured Kelce taking punch after punch, and the crowd’s laughter filled the theater when Travis Kelce and UFC legend Chuck Liddell made cameos.
It isn’t the first time that Garage Beer, co-owned by the Kelce brothers, has pulled stunts like this.
The first “Brewmite” short garnered more than 7 million views, and the second one leans even further into the absurd storytelling. The film has a retro VHS aesthetic, martial arts parody, and a plotline that has you rooting for the Kelce brothers.
Moravian students and Bethlehem residents don’t have to travel all the way to Phoenixville to experience the hype of the “crushable” 95-calorie beverage.
Garage Beer is sold right here in the Lehigh Valley at Joe’s Tavern, The Wooden Match, and Nest Bar & Grille.
With Musikfest drawing huge crowds every summer carrying their beer mugs, Garage Beer could easily become a staple for Bethlehem’s Gen Z residents.
The brand has focused on tapping into the generation through its marketing efforts, like “Brewmite II.” The Kelce brothers are known for more than their NFL careers or beer company; they have become cultural icons across a wide range of audiences, from posting a podcast to being featured on SNL and now starring in their own faux-action beer saga.
The rising marketing trend of partnering with celebrities and influencers, or, in this case, owners using their celebrity likeness, is a testament to the qualities Gen Z looks for in brands. The generation has spent their lives bombarded with ads, now at its peak with social media, and as a result, they seek authenticity, honesty, and voices they can trust.
Garage Beer’s self-aware, silly, and celebrity-driven marketing strategies have hit the mark and helped build its brand trust.
