With its brand sales sinking and its image losing ground, Budweiser is launching a new marketing campaign to freshen its image that involves pushing free beer and a more up-to-date Bud image to younger beer drinkers, according to a report in USA Today.
In order to appeal to the prime under-30 beer consumer group that has ignored the Budweiser brand, starting Monday the brewer plans to launch its biggest-ever national free-sample effort in bars and restaurants under the slogan “Grab some Buds,” the newspaper reports. The beer giveaways will culminate on Sept. 29, when Budweiser will host the “Budweiser National Happy Hour.”
Unit sales of Budweiser are down 9 percent this year and fell by the same amount last year, the paper reported, citing data from the Beverage Marketing Corp.
Beer drinkers have lost loyalty to Bud over the past seven years, according to the article. Upscale consumers have turned to craft beers, while price-conscious shoppers have traded down, and others have switched to light beers, USA Today said.
In order to appeal to the prime under-30 beer consumer group that has ignored the Budweiser brand, starting Monday the brewer plans to launch its biggest-ever national free-sample effort in bars and restaurants under the slogan “Grab some Buds,” the newspaper reports. The beer giveaways will culminate on Sept. 29, when Budweiser will host the “Budweiser National Happy Hour.”
Unit sales of Budweiser are down 9 percent this year and fell by the same amount last year, the paper reported, citing data from the Beverage Marketing Corp.
Beer drinkers have lost loyalty to Bud over the past seven years, according to the article. Upscale consumers have turned to craft beers, while price-conscious shoppers have traded down, and others have switched to light beers, USA Today said.
I love Bud Light guys. Been drinking it for years. Like all the other ones mentioned as well but prefer Bud. I think the economy has something to do with their sales but they need to focus on the younger crowd and make Bud cool again if they are losing that edge. Those damn micro brews and crafty brews cost too damn much if you ask me!
Tomorrow is the Day !!
First the good
news: Budweiser is planning to give away at least half-a-million free beers at locations around the country beginning Wednesday. Now the bad news: Budweiser is planning to give away at least half-a-million free beers around the country beginning Wednesday.
Yes, the iconic American brewing company – which is now actually owned by a conglomerate from Belgium – is hoping its National Happy Hour will reacquaint American beer drinkers with a brand they’ve been steadily losing interest in for the past seven years. How do you take advantage of this deal? Simply be 21-years old or older, and show up on Sept. 29 where ever they happen to be giving away their beer.
Actually, once you hit 22, you’re eligible for yet another freebie: Bud and Facebook are, according to USA Today, teaming up so that Facebook members who turn 22 can get yet another free beer. There was no indication as to whether the freebie would arrive in the form of a coupon or be dispensed through some sort of USB port attachment.
Despite the appeal of free suds, the ad campaign has been garnering a fair amount of ridicule from those who take their beer drinking veddy, veddy seriously. Hasn’t anyone who’s 21 or older already tried Budweiser, wondered Top Fermented, a blog offering “commentary on beer, brewing, and the craft brew industry.”
According to that story in USA Today, Budweiser has fallen from No. 16 in 2003 on a list of popular brands, ranked by customer loyalty, to No. 220 in 2010. Ouch.
Bud’s been falling in sales because “Many drinkers have discovered that they actually have taste buds and like things that taste good and have moved up to craft beer,” Top Fermented said. That, and the fact that with the ailing economy, many beer drinkers have simply made a lateral move to other beers that taste essentially the same such as “Bud Light, Coors Light, Miller Lite, Milwaukee’s Best Light Ice, PBR, Schaeffer’s, Stroh’s, Genny Light, or any one of hundreds of other sub-premium adjunct pilsners” and simply opted for the cheaper brands.
Ah, well. Still, a freebie’s a freebie and at least there’s no danger of having your taste buds overwhelmed by the free Bud before you move onto something else, like a Mission Street Pale Ale, or whatever your current favorite locally produced beer might be.
First the good
Yes, the iconic American brewing company – which is now actually owned by a conglomerate from Belgium – is hoping its National Happy Hour will reacquaint American beer drinkers with a brand they’ve been steadily losing interest in for the past seven years. How do you take advantage of this deal? Simply be 21-years old or older, and show up on Sept. 29 where ever they happen to be giving away their beer.
Actually, once you hit 22, you’re eligible for yet another freebie: Bud and Facebook are, according to USA Today, teaming up so that Facebook members who turn 22 can get yet another free beer. There was no indication as to whether the freebie would arrive in the form of a coupon or be dispensed through some sort of USB port attachment.
Despite the appeal of free suds, the ad campaign has been garnering a fair amount of ridicule from those who take their beer drinking veddy, veddy seriously. Hasn’t anyone who’s 21 or older already tried Budweiser, wondered Top Fermented, a blog offering “commentary on beer, brewing, and the craft brew industry.”
According to that story in USA Today, Budweiser has fallen from No. 16 in 2003 on a list of popular brands, ranked by customer loyalty, to No. 220 in 2010. Ouch.
Bud’s been falling in sales because “Many drinkers have discovered that they actually have taste buds and like things that taste good and have moved up to craft beer,” Top Fermented said. That, and the fact that with the ailing economy, many beer drinkers have simply made a lateral move to other beers that taste essentially the same such as “Bud Light, Coors Light, Miller Lite, Milwaukee’s Best Light Ice, PBR, Schaeffer’s, Stroh’s, Genny Light, or any one of hundreds of other sub-premium adjunct pilsners” and simply opted for the cheaper brands.
Ah, well. Still, a freebie’s a freebie and at least there’s no danger of having your taste buds overwhelmed by the free Bud before you move onto something else, like a Mission Street Pale Ale, or whatever your current favorite locally produced beer might be.
