Budweiser unveils global World Cup campaign
Budweiser has unveiled its sponsorship campaign for this year’s FIFA World Cup that will see it ask fans to “rise as one”.
The Anomaly-created campaign is being spearheaded by a TV campaign next month (24 March) that the brewer claims will be viewed by 43 million people in the UK in the build up to and during the June tournament.
The “rise as one” line in the ad intends to “celebrate the moments that unite and inspire fans of the beautiful game”.
The TV and supporting outdoor and print activity are shot in black and white. The brewer hopes the stark visual style of the campaign will give it cut through over the more “visual” and “vibrant” efforts of its fellow sponsors.
Additionally, the ads will champion a limited edition World Cup-themed bottle, along with a competition to win tickets to this summer’s tournament.
Jennifer Anton, marketing manager at Budweiser UK, told Marketing Week digital will play a “big role” in expanding the campaign the closer it gets to the event.
She adds: “What we’re trying to do from a marketing perspective is really connect with consumers all around the world in this moment of celebration. Our TV and out-of-home creative is unified and will be used around the world. We have focused a lot on how we activate our TV commercials in-game. to make sure that we are advertising in a lot of the matches.”
Online activity will be driven from a site the brewer will use to aggregate content from Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. A branded series, set to broadcast from Brazil during the event, will also be published on the site.
A mobile app will support the digital drive allowing users to locate the nearest bar showing matches and serving Budweiser. The brewer also revealed it is “currently looking at opportunities” to use its Bar Pass mobile click-and-collect app at specific branded bars during the World Cup but said details were not yet finalised.
Budweiser declined to give further details on its wider digital mix but said it had a plan in place to capitalise on what it predicts will be “the biggest social conversation ever”.
On-trade and off-trade promotions will support the main ad campaign including new pack formats, beer pumps and a Crystal Maze-style experiential game where players have to catch prizes in a container of floating balls.
The burst of activity sees the brewer move into the main part of its sponsorship campaign after running limited activity in the weeks following the draw in December.
