Pabst Blue Ribbon and Horror Inc. are turning a 12-pack into a Halloween costume this fall, rolling out limited-edition Jason Voorhees-themed packaging whose faceplate cuts out into a wearable hockey mask — a stunt aimed squarely at driving bar traffic and on-premise engagement through mid-November.
The partnership, which runs September through Friday, November 13, layers experiential activations, nationwide sweepstakes, and a merchandise line — apparel, glassware, 3-foot bobbleheads, tap handles, koozies, and collectible popcorn buckets — on top of the signature packaging. The campaign is timed to coincide with Peacock and A24's highly anticipated Crystal Lake series, giving bars and retailers a cultural hook that extends well beyond a single weekend.
Bar & Event Touchpoints
For on-premise operators, the activation calendar offers several entry points. PBR x Jason Universe nightlife takeovers will surround New York Comic Con (October 8–11), putting branded experiences in front of a dense, enthusiastic crowd at local venues. The Fest 24, a multi-day indie music festival running October 23–25, brings Jason-themed swag into partner bars across its downtown footprint. On October 15, the collaboration will host Crystal Lake-themed watch parties in partnership with top-tier horror content creators, bundled with capsule merchandise — the kind of event format that on-premise operators have increasingly used to build midweek traffic around streaming premieres.
Retail displays will feature 6-foot standees and 3-foot bobblehead displays at select stores, supported by a national social sweepstakes offering the oversized collectibles and branded merchandise as prizes. A series of digital micro-campaigns will activate around Halloween, National Hockey Mask Day (November 1), and a "Last Chance to Buy" push landing deliberately on Friday, November 13.
Why Operators Should Pay Attention
Halloween has become one of the most lucrative on-premise occasions on the annual calendar, and licensed horror IP collaborations have proven reliable traffic drivers in beverage alcohol marketing. By anchoring the campaign to a streaming debut as well as the holiday, PBR and Horror Inc. are stretching the promotional window and giving bar and restaurant partners multiple moments to activate — not just a single October weekend.
"Pabst and Jason are two American icons that have each played their own part in Halloween fun for generations," said Zac Nadile, Head of Brand Strategy at Pabst Brewing Company. "We turned a 12-pack into a Jason mask and, in the process, solved that all-too-familiar problem of figuring out a last-minute Halloween costume."
Robbie Barsamian, Executive Vice President of Horror, Inc., framed the packaging hook simply: "Jason's hockey mask is instantly recognizable, so making it wearable right off the pack was a no-brainer for us. Teaming up with PBR gives fans a cool, hands-on way to rep Jason just as momentum builds for Halloween."
For operators considering a tie-in, the watch party format and the streaming premiere of Crystal Lake represent a low-barrier opportunity to build a themed night around existing programming — no licensing required on their end. Food & Beverage Magazine has tracked similar horror-franchise beer collabs as a growing subcategory within seasonal on-premise promotions.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
