Crazy for koozies

I'm not exactly a swig-Bud-Lite-straight-from-the-can kinda girl. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a beer elitist or anything - I'd just usually prefer a rum and Coke (and B would usually prefer an indy brew on draft, so we at least agree on that facet of beer drinking) - but I recently noticed an interesting phenomenon on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Now, the E.S. is a different animal than Annapolis, so I'm not sure if this is something exclusive to the E.S., but from what I've gleaned, it seems to be somewhat of a Southern thing too. Being that I grew up in California and New England before moving to Maryland, I must have missed the memo on this one.

Anyway, when recently standing in a bar with a bunch of guys from the Eastern Shore, I watched as each one (we're talking 8 dudes heres) whipped out his very own koozie from his back pocket and proceeded to slip it on to his respective beer (and there was a mix of cans and bottles to boot).

Thinking this was hilarious, I've asked around and found out that this is quite common on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, as well as "down South." In fact, I just read an article about a genius marketing scheme at the Austin City Limits music festival by Shiner Bock beer. Shiner's advertising agency came up with a great way to get Shiner's name infiltrated into the festival, even though Heineken was the official sponsor of the event and therefore no other beer or beer advertising was allowed inside the festival. Basically, they hired people to stand outside the entrance to the festival and give out free Shiner koozies. Since the koozie phenomenon is evidently big in Texas too (it does make sense to keep your beer cold at a hot outdoor festival), people snapped them up and slipped these koozies - which were made to look just like a Shiner can - onto their cans of Heineken. One look around the festival, and all the Heinekens were now transformed into a sea of Shiner Bock beers. Great geurilla marketing and great use of koozies!


Story originally found on Direct Daily.

Next time I head to the beach or out on a boat, I'll think twice and make sure to bring a koozie with me! I guess a Northern girl can learn a trick or two from the South after all. Maybe... ;)