Anheuser-Busch’s Budweiser

The Budweiser brand accounts for one out of every three beers served in the United States. First produced in Budweis, Czech Republic in 1895, Anheuser-Busch’s Budweiser is a globally-sold pale lager. The St. Louise-based Anheuser-Busch owns 50.9% of the beer market share.

The Budweiser line consists of 14 types of beers:

Bud – The original, brewed with rice, barley, malt, water, hops, and yeast.

Bud Light – Introduced nationwide in 1982, But Light has 110 calories per bottle.

Budweiser Select – 99 calories per bottle and a lower carbohydrate count.

Bud Ice – This beer has a higher alcohol percentage at 5.5% alcohol by volume.

Budweiser Brew Masters Private Reserve – An all-malt lager with a honey color and a robust taste. Each year Budweiser releases a different Brew Masters style.

Bud Dry – Introduced nationwide in 1990, Bud Dry is falling in popularity in recent years.

Bud Silver – A beer produced to appeal to the taste palate of beer drinkers in the United Kingdom.

Bud Extra – A beer that is infused with ginseng, guarana and caffeine, and marketed as a caffeinated malt beverage with a 6.6% alcohol by volume.

Budweiser/Bud Light Chelda – Introduced nationally in 2007, this is a beer that blends Budweiser or Bud Light with Clamato Juice.

Bud Light Lime – Introduced nationwide in May 2008, Bud Light with a natural lime juice twist is targeting consumers a little different than the typical Bud Light drinker – specifically, consumers who drink during backyard barbeques or at outdoor activities, who are looking to try something unique and out of the ordinary.

Budweiser NA – Non-Alcoholic Budweiser was developed for the Middle East and is also available with a hint of Green Apple flavor.

From the beginning, the Budweiser brand has been very sports oriented in its advertising and through its sponsorships. Budweiser has sponsored top NASCAR teams and was the official beer of NASCAR until 2007. Budweiser is also the official sponsor and partner of Major League Soccer.

Budweiser’s advertising focuses heavily on humor. The brand’s target audience are loyal, younger men (typically). Account Planning for Budweiser has determined that consumers drink the brand primarily while at home, watching sports. Budweiser positions itself as a buddy to watch the game with.

Best known for their Clydesdales image, Budweiser has produced numerous memorable ads, characters and slogans, such as the Bud-Wei-Ser frogs and the “Whassup?” campaign.

Budweiser’s recent ads follow the Account Planning discoveries discussed earlier. The campaigns target laid back men and men who enjoy sports. One of the recent campaigns is the television series revolving around the word “Dude.” The vernacular of these ads show who the target is – the 21st century American male – who uses the term “Dude” in numerous situations – whether when upset, or when excited, and anywhere in-between.

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The important part of Budweiser’s recent advertising is their move towards online projects. The first Dude commercial had 2 million views on YouTube alone, and the campaign, consisting of 4 commercials, has had over 13.5 million views on sites including YouTube, Break.com, MSN.com, and MySpace. Online advertising is booming, not only because of increased users, but also because users are able to watch ads like the Budweiser campaign at their own discretion.

The other recent ads are the Semi Pro movie tie in commercials that feature Will Ferrell. Premiering during the Super Bowl, the first ad in the series was originally intended strictly for online. The last minute decision by Anheuser-Busch, ad agency DDB and Ferrell’s team, turned out extremely profitable because the commercial was just the humor viewers needed during the fourth quarter of the game.

It is interesting to note the eclectic array of Super Bowl commercials that Budweiser produced this year. From the Semi Pro ads to Clydesdales and Dalmatians, the Budweiser ads, as always, hit their target audience on an emotional level which is, in essence, the clear definition of Americana Persona.

~ by americanapersona on April 30, 2008.