FIFA sponsor Anheuser-Busch InBev took to the Web to promote Budweiser during this World Cup, and executives say results from its digital marketing efforts are exceeding expectations.
Budweiser’s digital campaign, built around BudUnited.com, garnered more than 800,000 fans on Facebook and made the brand’s YouTube channel the No. 1 sponsored channel in the world during the first weekend of the World Cup.
A-B InBev executives expect those numbers to increase as people tune in to the digital reality show “Bud House,” which features 32 fans representing the 32 World Cup nations living together for a month. Their ability to stay in the house is determined by their respective nation’s success in the tournament.
The show already has attracted the interest of a Canadian and South American broadcaster, who want to syndicate it for their networks. The syndication in Canada alone will give Budweiser exposure in some 10 million homes, said Andrew Sneyd, Budweiser global advertising director.
“These were things we always hoped would happen that we’re pleased are coming to fruition,” Sneyd said. “We’ve been nimble and willing to change on the fly [to provide content when asked].”
A-B InBev has driven traffic to its website, BudUnited.com, by featuring it on field boards during the World Cup. Historically, it used its field signage to showcase the Budweiser logo.
Officials said it was too early to know what effect the digital marketing efforts will have on Budweiser sales, but they credited the campaign with playing a role in sales increases in the United Kingdom. Sales in the U.K. are up 50 percent year-over-year.
“We have a full integration of the Bud United theme [there],” said Jason Warner, Budweiser global vice president. “Obviously, the English consumer really embraces the World Cup.”
In South Africa, where Budweiser is not usually distributed, A-B InBev has set up beer gardens outside the stadium and is serving Budweiser during games. So far, it has had “hit rates” of 50 to 100 percent of the stadium, meaning that Budweiser is being consumed on average by at least half the crowd in attendance at each game.
“That’s meeting, if not exceeding, our expectations, especially because it’s winter here,” said Eelco van der Noll, A-B InBev global director of sports and entertainment.
