Free beer for people with January birthdays
Molson Coors has launched a campaign for its Madrí Excepcional beer brand to help people born in January celebrate their birthdays with a free beer. db finds out more about the promotion.
According to the beer giant, it has gathered new research that shows how a significant proportion of people with January birthdays actually avoid or miss out on birthday celebrations altogether.
The research highlighted that 34% of adults born in January actively avoid birthday celebrations with post-Christmas finances (56%), the cold, dark evenings (31%) and a desire to cut back on alcohol (19%) emerging as the primary reasons. In response, Molson Coors has unveiled its “January Birthday Bar Tab” – an initiative that offers January-born adults a free Madrí Excepcional 0.0% ABV or 4.6% ABV beer for themselves and a friend at participating venues.
Get yourselves to Boxpark
The promotion has been designed to reduce cost barriers and encourage consumers to choose the on-trade for smaller, more flexible celebrations during the month and will run at selected Boxpark venues on Fridays and Saturdays throughout January. The plan is for the campaign to align with peak trading periods and support venues at a time when moderation trends are strongest.
Speaking to the drinks business about the trends shaping the sector in 2026, Madrí Excepcional brand controller Sophie Mitchell said: “Consumers continue to look for options which help them enjoy social occasions on their own terms. That’s why having a strong mix of no- and low-alcohol options as part of a great beer range has become so important for pubs and bars. It means operators can cater to different customer needs whilst keeping social occasions vibrant and inclusive.”
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Socialising is changing
Describing a little more about the thinking behind the campaign, Mitchell explained: “Our research shows that January celebrations aren’t disappearing, but the way people want to socialise is changing. Cost pressures and moderation are influencing decisions, and that can make traditional birthday occasions feel harder to justify. By introducing the January Birthday Bar Tab, we want to support venues in recognising those shifts and show how inclusive options, including strong no- and low-alcohol ranges, can help keep social occasions viable during a month when many people are looking to moderate.”
Boxpark head of events and marketing David Byrne added: “January is always a month where behaviour changes, but that doesn’t mean people stop wanting to come together. What we see is guests looking for occasions that feel more flexible and inclusive.”
Alcohol-free and freebies turn heads
Molson Coors revealed that the initiative comes as a direct response to the research which had identified that 83% of those who have skipped a friend’s birthday in January admit they felt guilty about it, while for two-thirds (66%) of those polled, there are things that would make them more likely to attend a loved one’s celebrations in January, including spending meaningful time together if they knew there was a better alternative to alcohol and if someone else was footing the bill.
Molson Coors is no stranger to marketing initiatives. Despite being launched by Molson Coors in October 2020, Madrí Excepcional became the most talked about beer in the UK by May 2022. By 2023, beer writer and author Pete Brown identified that the businesses behind marketing cask ale could learn from the people behind marketing beers like Madri, showing the brand’s success. Then, last November, the company boosted sales of its Madrí Excepcional beer brand when it launched a scratch card promotion that rolled out across more than 2,000 pubs.
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