Months after the fast food chain’s successful seltzer launch, Sonic Hard Seltzer is back in the spotlight as the seltzer sponsor of the Big 12 Conference.
On Thursday, COOP Beverage Work’s standout Sonic Hard Seltzer was named the Official Hard Seltzer of the Big 12, in a partnership between the producer and Big 12 Sports Properties. The sponsorship grants COOP Beverage Works exclusive rights to the Big 12 branding in the hard seltzer category, as an Aug. 18 press release states. The company will join the likes of Dr. Pepper and Phillips 66, which both currently hold established sponsorship relationships with the conference.
The Big 12 Conference includes collegiate teams from 10 universities in the United States. It celebrates its 27th anniversary this year, with fall football beginning on Sept. 29.
“We’re thrilled to partner with the Big 12 Conference,” COOP Beverage Works president Sean Mossman states in the release. “On the heels of our continued expansion into 39 states and being recognized as one of the top 10 fastest selling seltzer brands, we’re excited to deepen our product integration responsibly within the Conference and with its fans of legal drinking age.”
As a sponsor, COOP Beverage Works holds rights to the conference and championship branding alongside Sonic Hard Seltzer in retail. The relationship also includes social media and digital marketing campaigns through Big 12 Conference’s official outlets.
While the trendy seltzers bear the name of the beloved chain, Oklahoma City-based COOP Beverage Works holds the name licensing. It oversees production, marketing, and distribution of the product.
The companies keep a clear distinction between the two — and no, Sonic Hard Seltzers are not available at the chain’s drive-in locations.