Budweiser to launch UK site with help of viral marketing

Budweiser is hoping to emulate the viral marketing success of its US “Whassup” campaign by bringing it – and a new UK-specific website – to these shores.

The “Whassup” TV campaign, which started last December in the US and won two awards, has been created by DDB Worldwide. It features five young urban trendies and promotes the web address at the end.

US viewers were encouraged to send e-mails “in character” from the Budweiser.com website. UK viewers will also be able to send SMS (short message service) text messages, on this occasion from the new Budweiser.co.uk site. As with the US campaign, consumers will be encouraged to visit the website to view a Web-only commercial, in addition to online versions of the four TV ads.

Budweiser has appointed Circle.com, a digital communications agency, to co-ordinate its on- and offline synergies.

“We learnt from the US campaign how powerful an impact the Web can have when it is integrated with the [TV] advertising,” says Kerry Bebe, Budweiser European marketing manager.

“We see this as the start of building a major UK web presence,” she adds.