CHICAGO, Nov. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- More than half of Americans gather with friends on the night before Thanksgiving, so Miller Lite is going to sponsor $50,000 of those celebrations this Beersgiving.  Legal drinking-age consumers can head to the Miller Lite Facebook page at 1 p.m. Eastern Time, Tuesday, November 13, 2012, to receive one of 2,000 $25 gift cards so they can enjoy a Beersgiving Miller Time with their friends.

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The concept of Beersgiving is founded upon the spirit of reconnecting with friends, which is how 80 million Americans age 21 and older spend the night before Thanksgiving, according to a survey conducted by Kelton Research* on behalf of Miller Lite.  Close to half of consumers surveyed say they look forward to Beersgiving because it is a great night to catch up with people they don't see as often as they'd like, and the most popular beverage of choice is beer, with one-third of drinkers toasting their friendships over a brew that night.

"Thanksgiving Eve has long been a night when friends reconnect over a beer, so we want to say thanks by sponsoring their Beersgiving celebrations," said Ryan Reis, Miller Lite senior director of marketing.  "Whether it's the group of friends you grew up with or a buddy, who now lives across the country, getting together, having a beer or two and sharing memories while creating new ones, is what Miller Time is all about."

The $25 gift cards will be given to the first 2,000 eligible entrants, who will receive their Miller Lite Beersgiving gift card by mail. Entrants must be a U.S. resident 21 and older. Offer not valid in California or Texas. For additional information on Miller Lite and Beersgiving 2012, visit Facebook.com/MillerLite.

Additional results from the Kelton Research survey on Beersgiving for Miller Lite include:

• Over half (57 percent) of men ages 21-34 often spend Thanksgiving Eve with friends.
• More people in the 21-34 age group than those 35 and older (52 percent vs. 27 percent) have made spending this night with friends a habit.
• More than two in three (68 percent) men ages 21-34 have spent time with friends on Thanksgiving Eve.
• Close to two-thirds (65 percent) of beer drinkers say they've celebrated with friends the night before Thanksgiving, versus 43 percent of those who don't drink beer.
• Nearly a quarter (24 percent) of men 21-34 enjoy Thanksgiving Eve more than Thanksgiving Day.
• Nearly four in 10 Americans would rather have a beer than a slice of pie on Thanksgiving Eve.

*Kelton Research's Miller Lite Beersgiving survey was conducted October 11-18, 2012, among 1,056 nationally representative Americans ages 21 and older, using an email invitation and an online survey.

About MillerCoors

Built on a foundation of great beer brands and nearly 300 years of brewing heritage, MillerCoors continues the commitment of its founders to brew the highest quality beers.  MillerCoors is the second-largest beer company in the United States, capturing nearly 30 percent of beer sales in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.  Led by two of the best-selling beers in the industry, MillerCoors has a broad portfolio of brands across every major industry segment.  The portfolio is led by the company's premium light brands: Coors Light, Miller Lite and Miller64.  Coors Light, the World's Most Refreshing Beer, offers consumers refreshment as cold as the Rockies.  Miller Lite established the American light beer category in 1975, offering beer drinkers a light beer that tastes like beer should.  Miller64 is 64 calories of crisp, light taste that complements a balanced lifestyle. MillerCoors brews premium beers Coors Banquet and Miller Genuine Draft, and economy brands Miller High Life and Keystone Light.  Tenth and Blake Beer Company, the MillerCoors craft and import division, imports Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Pilsner Urquell and Grolsch, and features craft brews from the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, Blue Moon Brewing Company and the Blitz-Weinhard Brewing Company.  MillerCoors operates eight major breweries in the U.S., as well as the Leinenkugel's craft brewery in Chippewa Falls, Wisc., and two microbreweries, the Tenth Street Brewery in Milwaukee and the Blue Moon Brewing Company at Coors Field in Denver.  The MillerCoors vision is to create the best beer company in America through great people changing the way America enjoys beer. MillerCoors builds its brands the right way through brewing quality, responsible marketing and sustainable environmental and community impact.  MillerCoors is a joint venture of SABMiller plc and Molson Coors Brewing Company.  Learn more at MillerCoors.com, at facebook.com/MillerCoors or on Twitter through @MillerCoors.

SOURCE Miller Lite