When the ball hits the Beam, rival fans have an unlikely reason to celebrate together. “Hit The Beam” turns football’s most dreaded sound into something worth rooting for.

CLERMONT, Ky., Sept. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Few sounds trigger a collective groan quite like a field goal bouncing off the goalpost. This season, Jim Beam®, the world’s No.1 bourbon, is setting out to transform that dreaded sound into stadium-wide cheers with “Hit The Beam,” a new campaign starring actor and comedian Ben Marshall and former NFL kicker Kai Forbath.

Together, they’re turning one of football’s most terrifying sounds, the “doink,” into a reason to celebrate. When a field goal attempt strikes the goalpost, better known as the “beam,” fans will have a chance to win big prizes. Jim Beam, the bourbon best enjoyed together, is turning the miss into a moment everyone can get behind, giving rival fandom something they can all cheer for.

Debuting today ahead of the NFL season kickoff game, the campaign spot puts Marshall on the sidelines as Forbath’s highly unqualified coach, tasked with undoing nearly a decade of professional kicking experience. Forbath must forget everything he learned about putting the ball between the uprights and aiming directly for one instead.

“I’ve watched enough football to know that a doink usually results in a lot of yelling, just not the good kind,” said Ben Marshall. “Jim Beam is changing that. Now, when a ball hits the beam, there’s something to celebrate together and that’s what Jim Beam is all about: bringing people together to best enjoy the moment. My job was just to teach a professional kicker how to miss correctly, which I was obviously extremely qualified to do.”

“I spent my entire career trying to put the ball between the beams, so being told to aim for one was definitely a first,” said Kai Forbath. “It turns out hitting the goalpost on purpose is a lot harder than it looks. But if a doink means fans can win and celebrate together, I guess there really is such a thing as a good miss.”

Unlike Marshall’s coaching credentials, the prizes are very real.

“At Jim Beam, we’ve always believed the best moments are the ones shared with others,” said Regan Clarke, VP of American Whiskey, Suntory Global Spirits. “For generations, Jim Beam has been about expanding the table and bringing newcomers into the family, and our campaign “Hit the Beam” carries that spirit into game day. When the ball finds the beam, it doesn’t matter which jersey you’re wearing, we can all raise a Jim Beam and Lemonade together.”

Throughout the season, every doink will give fans a chance to win an 85-inch TV, with up to five TVs awarded each week. Winners will be selected at random each week based on the number of doinks that occur. If no kicks hit the beam, eligible entries will roll over to the following week. Fans can enter at Hitthebeam.com beginning September 9, with non-winning entries remaining eligible for subsequent weekly drawings throughout the sweepstakes period. Must be 21+ to enter. See link for the full official rules.

The campaign will roll out across CTV, digital and social platforms including Meta, TikTok, Reddit, and YouTube throughout the regular season, bringing “Hit The Beam” to fans wherever they’re watching the game.

As an official partner of the Seattle Seahawks, Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs, Jim Beam will bring the campaign to game day with special limited-edition bottles celebrating each franchise, available at select local retailers. The activation builds on Jim Beam’s long-standing tradition of bringing fans together through America’s most iconic sports, from motorsports – including NASCAR and its role as the exclusive spirits sponsor of the Cadillac Formula 1 Team ® – to football and beyond. For more information, visit JimBeam.com or follow @jimbeamofficial on social media.

Jim Beam® Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 40% Alc./Vol. ©2026 James B. Beam Distilling Co., Clermont, KY

About Jim Beam®:
Jim Beam is the world’s best-selling bourbon, crafted by eight generations of family distillers since 1795. Fred Noe, Jim Beam’s seventh Generation Master Distiller, and Freddie Noe, Jim Beam’s eighth Generation Master Distiller, have stayed true to the family recipe that’s been passed down through generations. The Jim Beam portfolio of products includes Jim Beam Bourbon, Jim Beam Black®, and Jim Beam Flavors, among other offerings. For more information, go to www.jimbeam.com @jimbeamofficial on Instagram and @jimbeam on Twitter.

About Suntory Global Spirits:
As a world leader in premium spirits, Suntory Global Spirits inspires the brilliance of life, by creating rich experiences for people, in harmony with nature. Known for its craftsmanship of premium American whiskeys, including Jim Beam® and Maker’s Mark®; Japanese whiskies, including Yamazaki® and Hibiki®; and leading Scotch brands including Laphroaig®, Suntory Global Spirits also produces leading brands such as El Tesoro® and Hornitos® tequilas and Roku® gin, and is a world leader in Ready-To-Drink cocktails, with brands like -196™ (minus one-nine-six) and On The Rocks™ Bartender Created Cocktails.

A global company with approximately 6,000 employees in nearly 30 countries, Suntory Global Spirits is driven by its core values of Growing for Good, Yatte Minahare and Giving Back to Society, and aims to have a positive impact on the planet, consumers and communities. Headquartered in New York City, Suntory Global Spirits is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan. For more information, visit www.suntoryglobalspirits.com and www.drinksmart.com.

Press Contacts:
Exposure: JimBeam@Exposure.net

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SOURCE Jim Beam