Building on the success of its cold certified thermochromic inks, Coors Light has rolled out a summer promotion that marks the first application of photochromic inks in partnership with CROWN Beverage Packaging North America, a business unit of Crown Holdings Inc. (Crown). The Coors Light Summer Certified cans program, which kicked off in May and will run all summer, features six limited edition cans with sunlight-activated specialty inks and printing, and encourages consumers to enjoy the refreshing, crisp taste of an ice-cold Coors Light outdoors. The series of Coors Light collector cans, available in 355ml and 473ml sizes, will be released in phases throughout the summer.

“Our market research has shown that one of the top drivers of consumer purchase intent is ‘packaging that stands out.’ This innovation, which leverages both photochromic and thermochromic inks, will be a key differentiator for Coors Light this summer,” notes Garrick Frittelli, Assistant Marketing Manager for Coors Light. “These inks will bring the can to life like never before by revealing bold, bright colors when the cans are exposed to the sunlight. We know Canadian summers are short, and we know Canadians want to make the most of the sun and patio season. These cans with photochromic ink will heighten the outdoor, summer drinking occasion for our consumers. The colder the beer, the brighter the colors – both cold certified and summer certified.”

“The six unique cans are based on variations of geometric designs inspired by Coors Light’s iconic mountain shape and updated visual identity, and will use a range of yellow, orange and purple inks as well as a bolder, cold certified blue,” states Ron Skotleski, Director of Marketing, North America, CROWN Beverage Packaging. “Crown continues to focus on partnering with our customers and suppliers to provide real, market-driven value by thinking and innovating beyond the traditional aluminum beverage can. Our graphics team and plants, working closely with CTI and Molson Coors, did a fantastic job of pulling it all together in a very short time.”

Four times the amount of beer is consumed outdoors in the summer months compared to other seasons and Coors Light is optimistic that the bold and interactive new packaging will help drive growth in its share of cans and overall sales this summer.

“Crown has been an amazing partner to work with, from providing us with quick and honest advice, to delivering on our somewhat ambitious asks,” adds Frittelli. “Their team has helped Coors Light bring these cans to life and to deliver a new level of excitement to our packaging this summer.”