Now the Anheuser-Busch beer is embracing America literally, at least for a few months.
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Ricardo Marques, a Budweiser executive, mentioned several upcoming sporting events in explaining why the company opted to change its packaging.
In an unabashed paean to patriotism during the election year, bottles and cans of Bud will sport “America” on the front together with popular national slogans “to inspire drinkers to celebrate America and Budweiser’s shared values of freedom and authenticity”, the brewer said.
The campaign, called “America is in Your Hands”, will run from May 23 through November and will include on cans and bottles passages ranging from Pledge of Allegiance to lyrics from “The Star Spangled Banner” and “America the handsome”.
While the brand has promoted the spirit of the United States in the past, such as in its collaborative concert with Jay-Z, replacing Budweiser with America on its beer cans and bottles carries the advantage of being free for the cost-conscious company.
Anheuser-Busch was purchased by InBev in 2008.
Here in the U.S., Budweiser – like other mass-market beer brewers – has been contending with a larger problem than naming rights. “This includes the beer inside all of the “America” cans and bottles”.
Budweiser’s reaction to changing American tastes in beer has been rather defensive, according to Huffington Post. As the American beer palate has matured, mass-market beers such as Budweiser are falling out of favor, as Americans gravitate toward more complex and flavorful craft beers brewed in smaller, local breweries.
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How do you feel about Budweiser changing its name to “America” for the summer?
