Budweiser is launching its "biggest ever global campaign" ahead of the World Cup, which kicks off in Russia next month, according to Erin Lyons of MARKETING WEEK. Miguel Patricio, the global CMO of Budweiser's parent company, Anheuser-Busch InBev, said that the new campaign "will champion Budweiser's dream of bringing people together" while energizing and inspiring the 3.2 billion football fans watching the World Cup. The campaign is titled "Light up the FIFA World Cup" and was produced by the company's lead agency, Anomaly. Budweiser, the official beer sponsor of the World Cup for 32 years, will launch the campaign in more than 50 countries, "marking its biggest ever global activation." The campaign features a video of an "ambitious" beer delivery which shows drones carrying Budweiser from its Brewery in St. Louis, Missouri, to World Cup watching parties, from Shanghai to Rio de Janeiro, and to Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. The video will be broken down into 15-, 30- and 90-second ads for TV and social media (MARKETING WEEK, 5/8). AD AGE's E.J. Shultz reported the spot is directed by Jake Scott, who previously teamed up with Anomaly on Budweiser Super Bowl ads. The campaign includes the real-life deployment of noise-activated Budweiser Red Light Cups, "which light up in response to crowd noise." All beer sold in World Cup stadiums will come in the cups. Budweiser also plans to "deploy them at viewing parties across the globe." The brewer anticipates 8 million of the techy cups "will be distributed globally, including unique versions for every match" (AD AGE, 5/8). THE DRUM's John McCarthy reported the U.S. beer brand "distanced itself from issues stemming from the event being hosted in Russia." Complaints about the "treatment of LGBT people, free speech and the country's tensions with the West form a large part of this." Budweiser Global Marketing VP Brian Perkins said, "We have been working with the World Cup for 32 years, it is not a political moment. Our job is to bring more people together and the World Cup does that more than any other event. It is our biggest opportunity to do our job" (THE DRUM, 5/8).
