AB InBev to quicken marketing spend growth to exploit World Cup

AB InBev is to significantly increase spend on marketing in the current financial year to exploit the opportunities the World Cup offers and maintain recent growth for official beer of the tournament Budweiser. 

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Budweiser and Stella Artois owner expects marketing spend to increase by “low to mid teens”.

The brewer, the world’s biggest by sales volume and value, says Budweiser outperformed the rest of its UK portfolio in its last financial year with the volume of the brand sold up 3 per cent year on year against a 3 per cent drop in total volume for its beer and cider brands.

Inge Plochaet, business unit president at AB InBev UK, says in a statement the brewer is “looking forward to another exciting year” for the brand because of the exposure it will enjoy during the World Cup in Brazil this summer.

Budweiser kicked off its activation campaign last week with TV advertising, digital and in-store activity.

The company expects the World Cup to lead to a “low to mid teens” increase in global marketing and sales spend in the current financial year, up from the 4.5 per cent year on year rise in the previous year.

Other drivers behind the increased spend will include new product development and the  “scaling up of proven trade marketing programs”.

The Stella Artois and Beck’s brewer posted a 2 per cent dip in volumes for the full-year but a focus on premium products with higher margins helped push revenue up 3.3 per cent in the period. 

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