Eighty-Eight Brewing Co., a Calgary-based brewery, has partnered with Olympic cyclist Alison Jackson and fellow athletes, rower Kasia Gruchalla-Wesierski and wheelchair basketball player Nikola Goncin, to split proceeds from their pale ale with a tropical aroma and a bright red can bearing a sketch of a retro jacket. 

This partnership is just one of the many endorsements and funding arrangements uniting small businesses looking to boost their brands with Canadian athletes. Other partnerships include rower Jill Moffatt and Big Wheel Burger in B.C., and gymnast Ellie Black with Montreal-based non-alcoholic beer company Sober Carpenter to sell a limited-time beverage emblazoned with her signature.

Eighty-Eight initially didn’t link itself to athletes when bobsledder Ryan Sommer approached the company for a deal ahead of the last winter games. However, it took little convincing to get Eighty-Eight on board with the partnership, which grew to include backing for hockey player Micah Zandee-Hart and long-track speed skater Tyson Langelaar.

At the Beijing Olympics, Zandee-Hart won a gold medal and Sommer a bronze. Eighty-Eight saw a wave of new customers from Hydration Station, an electrolyte-laden orange ale it had on offer to promote the athletes.

“It’s a success for us as long as the athletes are happy and we’re happy getting the publicity,” said Kevin Mitchell, Eighty-Eight’s marketing manager. 

SOURCE: CP24
PHOTO CREDIT: On File