We have gotten used to Budweiser’s antics over the last few years, from their anti-craft beer videos, to the DOJ investigation into how AB-InBev is trying to crush smaller craft breweries through distributors, to the flurry of craft beer buy-outs in a big “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” move.
Well, they have done it again…Budweiser just announced that it’s rebranding itself simply as “America” for the summer. That’s right, from late May to early November, people who want to order a Bud at a bar will have to ask for a bottle of America.
What makes this summer so special? Ricardo Marques, VP at Budweiser explained the move in a recent press release, “We are embarking on what should be the most patriotic summer that this generation has ever seen, with Copa America Centenario being held on U.S. soil for the first time, Team USA competing at the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Budweiser has always strived to embody America in a bottle, and we’re honored to salute this great nation where our beer has been passionately brewed for the past 140 years.”
Allow us to…
This is just another desperate move of Budweiser to improve their severely lagging beer sales.
As ridiculous and hilarious this move is, it also reeks of desperation. Budweiser’s revenue fell 10% this past year from 2014. It’s no secret that they have been scrambling to stay relevant in the craft beer boom and this is just one more way to pander to Americans during a year where, although the Olympic games are big, the Presidential election is even bigger. It’s no small wonder why they are keeping the American label until the November elections, or which party will likely take the newly labeled “America” under their wings.
There is a lot of humor in this though and it can’t be overlooked. Twitter has been going wild with reactions from the announcement. Here’s one tweet that sums up the stupidity of the whole thing perfectly…
Jokes aside, this whole marketing move is incredibly insulting to us as Americans. Not only are they not an American company anymore, but to position themselves as a beer that embodies what makes our nation great is weird and exactly the opposite of what that company actually stands for. Budweiser sold to InBev in 2008, a international company based in Belgium and Brazil, and from there has effectively made fun of, crapped on and actively tried to push out small business owners (craft breweries), which is what our nation was actually built on. Some people might argue that selling out and squashing the competition is pretty “American,” but it’s pushy and pandering for a multinational company to just decide that it’s going to name itself after our country to try and be seen as patriotic, American made, while aiming “to inspire drinkers to celebrate America and Budweiser’s shared values of freedom and authenticity.”
Who knows how this marketing strategy will pan out. Hopefully, people will see it for what it is, a desperate attempt to claw a stronghold in the American beer market again like Bud had in its glory days. We will leave you with a few other tweets that tickled our funny bone…
Anna Brigham
5/13/16