Jim Beam Takes the Football Field with Comedian Keegan-Michael Key
January 16, 2025 –––––– Aubrey Thompson
Jim Beam has unveiled a new campaign aimed at football fans, which is a humorous take on the woes of post-game defeat. It’s a partnership with comedian, writer, and producer Keegan-Michael Key, who’s best known as a co-star in the comedy series “Key & Peele.” His involvement isn’t a straightforward name-on-a-bottle partnership, but is centered around a humorous play on the seven stages of grief dubbed the “7 Stages of Defeat.”
Key, a longtime Detroit Lions fan, summons his comedic talents to address each of those stages through a series of sketch comedy skits. The aim is to turn the bitterness of defeat into an opportunity to laugh it off and enjoy a dram. The biggest draw is a tangible Jim Beam branded “care package,” a sleek all-black box, which when opened reveals items directly tied to each of the seven stages of defeat defined as: Shock, Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Woe, Rebuilding, and Acceptance.
Missing from the list of items in the package is a bottle of Jim Beam Black, the flagship whiskey touted as the collaboration’s inspirational expression given its age statement of 7 years. Instead, recipients will find amusing trinkets such as a bobblehead, mini chocolate football and mini hammer, bourbon-scented candle, and a note from Key. A black custom Jim Beam jersey designed by sportswear brand Mitchell & Ness can also be found inside, as well as a kit to create the campaign-exclusive Get ‘Em Next Year cocktail. It consists of one part Jim Beam Black, three parts ginger ale, and a few drops of the aptly named No Need to be Bitter bitters.
The jerseys aren’t limited to the care package. A chance for fans to win the care package kicks off on 7stages.jimbeam.com on days following the NFL Divisional playoffs, Championship Games, and Super Bowl (January 20th, 27th, February 10th) at 12pm ET / 9am PT. Key’s sketches will also be posted on Instagram @jimbeam, with more anticipated media coverage to come in TV, streaming, digital, social media, and eCommerce.
