When’s the last time you went to a bar and ordered a Budweiser proper? There’s a good chance it’s been a long while, if it’s ever happened at all, especially if you’re in your 20s. Parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev realizes that the popularity of its full-flavored brand is dwindling, and it’s pushing forward with in a new direction with its commercials, choosing the Super Bowl as the centerpiece of its new youth-skewing marketing campaign. Football fans and commercial fans alike, join me in saying goodbye to the iconic Clydesdale horses, for they are getting dropped this holiday season.
Instead of opting for tradition, which doesn’t automatically equal beer purchases, Anheuser-Busch InBev is looking to win over its youngest legal-age drinking demographic with its series of high-dollar ads for Super Bowl XLIX. So rather than a bunch of horses that obviously have no idea what hashtags are or what Taylor Swift’s 1989 sounds like, the beer corporation will instead opt for modern tunes, killer swag and whatever else 21-27 year olds are messing with these days. It seems very, very likely that someone will be seen taking a selfie with at least one bottle of Budweiser.
The company is pretty sure that emerging drunks aren’t going to want to rush out and drink Budweiser after watching a bunch of horses split their time between looking majestic and being magical. But if you think they’re going completely hip and subversive, think again. According to the Wall Street Journal, the ads will feature a narrator asking twentysomethings, “If you could grab a Bud with any of your friends these holidays, who would it be?” To which the twentysomethings will look directly into the camera and say their friends’ names. No need to call the cryptographers. The point is clear.
By Anheuser-Busch InBev’s own numbers, around 44% of modern drinkers between 21 and 27 haven’t even tried a Budweiser. That seems slightly ridiculous to me; I’d easily believe that 44% of everyone living hadn’t tried a Bud before, but nearly half of self-confessed drinkers seriously don’t know what the King of Beers tastes like? (My jealousy almost shows through my shock.) Obviously Bud Light is a preferred choice to the two, with Coors Light running behind it. Craft beers and local brewers are carving a bigger foothold in the business than ever, as the entire craft industry has matched the number of barrels that Budweiser puts out in a year’s time. Plus, many bars have completely dropped Budweiser from their draft selections, even as the number of beers offered grows. Anheuser-Busch InBev has tons of brands under their belt, and the King is trying hard not to leave the building.
Tell the world, or at least one corner of your living room, who you want to share a Bud with and watch some of last year’s best commercials. Will you guys miss the Clydesdales? Let us know!
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