Brand Set to Air Highly-Rated Iconic Spots Starting June 8

CHICAGO, June 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Corona Extra, the number one imported beer in the U.S., is ramping up its marketing efforts for the peak summer sales period by reprising a few of its most iconic television spots and increasing its media investment.

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'The Corona brand remains exceptionally strong and relevant and we'll be leveraging it even more aggressively to help us engage consumers, drive purchase intent and stimulate sales in this challenging economic environment,' said Jim Sabia, executive vice president of marketing, Crown Imports. 'Corona's unique and independent attitude has particular appeal at a time when people are looking for moments -- however short -- to get away from the demands of everyday life. So we'll be airing several highly-researched fan favorites that perfectly reflect this spirit through the key summer season.'

The following spots, which rated among the top Corona ads of all time based on recent consumer research, have been refreshed for 2009:

• 'Lagoon' (1998) - A man skipping rocks into the sea decides to do the same with his PDA when it begins vibrating.

• 'Kite' (1992) - Viewers see headlines from the day's financial newspaper, which is revealed to have been made into a kite as the camera pulls back, floating above the waves.

'The power of the Corona brand isn't only its iconic beach backdrop, but its timeless, and rather timely, attitude,' said Marshall Ross, EVP/chief creative officer, Cramer-Krasselt. 'Bringing back these well-known and loved Corona stories is a way to encourage people to 'toss their commitments and conventions into the ocean' and enjoy the season.'

On the heels of Corona's annual Cinco de Mayo push, the brand has been ramping up spending during high-profile programming such as Comedy Central's Daily Show and Colbert Report, Discovery's Deadliest Catch and Spike's Guys' Choice Awards, as well as sporting occasions such as the NBA Playoffs and Major League Baseball. The two ads began airing June 8 on major networks and cable.

'We are focusing our marketing efforts on national TV programming and have increased our media weights significantly to air these iconic ads as often as possible during the summer when beer purchases hit their peak,' added Sabia.