Columbia Sportswear Launches Bear Poop Beer for Super Bowl

Columbia Sportswear has introduced a unique Super Bowl campaign featuring a limited-edition beer named Nature Calls, brewed with ingredients sourced from bear feces. This initiative, in collaboration with Portland's Breakside Brewery, aims to showcase the durability of Columbia's outdoor gear while providing a "taste of the outdoors for game day indoors." The beer is crafted using hops and botanicals collected from grizzly bear droppings, which were sanitized before brewing. The launch is timed to coincide with the Super Bowl, generating significant media attention without the high costs associated with traditional advertising.

Columbia Sportswear Bear Poop Beer Super Bowl Marketing Campaign Nature Calls IPABear poop is the surprise ingredient in this new beer for the Super Bowl

Nature Calls is made using Bull Run River water from Oregon, combined with malted grains from the Pacific Northwest, and features flavors of honey and huckleberry. The bear feces were collected from American black bears in Montana, emphasizing the brand's commitment to using natural ingredients. Columbia Sportswear's brand president, Joe Boyle, stated, “When we say engineered for whatever, we mean whatever. Mother Nature hurls bear poop at us, we'll ferment it into a frosty pint.” Scott Lawrence, founder of Breakside Brewery, affirmed that the beer is produced under the same stringent standards as their other offerings, highlighting the novelty of celebrating nature in such a literal manner.

Bear poop is the surprise ingredient in this new beer for the Super Bowl

Columbia's decision to pursue this unconventional marketing strategy reflects a shift from traditional Super Bowl advertising, which can cost upwards of $8 million for a 30-second spot. Instead, the brand opted for a creative approach that leverages earned media and social engagement. Matt Sutton, SVP and head of marketing at Columbia, explained the rationale behind this strategy, stating, “Why spend $8m on a 30-second ad spot at the big game when you can just find bear poo in Montana, a water treatment facility, a local brewery, and do tailgate taste tests at Levi’s Stadium?”

Columbia Sportswear Bear Poop Beer Super Bowl Marketing Campaign Nature Calls IPA

While the campaign has garnered attention for its originality, some critics may question the ethics and safety of using animal feces in food products, despite assurances from Columbia and Breakside Brewery regarding the safety of the beer. This skepticism mirrors past instances where unconventional ingredients have been used in brewing, such as a Finnish microbrewery that created a stout using geese droppings.

Bear poop is the surprise ingredient in this new beer for the Super Bowl

Nature Calls will be officially launched on February 8 at the Super Bowl Players Tailgate in Santa Clara, California, coinciding with the game between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. The beer will also be available at select Breakside Brewery locations in Oregon, marking a significant moment in both marketing and brewing innovation.

Bear poop is the surprise ingredient in this new beer for the Super Bowl

• “Mother Nature hurls bear poop at us, we'll ferment it into a frosty pint.” — Joe Boyle, Brand President, Columbia Sportswear

Bear poop is the surprise ingredient in this new beer for the Super Bowl

• “We’ve brewed a lot of beers, but never one that celebrates nature this literally,” — Scott Lawrence, Founder, Breakside Brewery

Bear poop is the surprise ingredient in this new beer for the Super Bowl