Bud Light Superstitious
There's a new television campaign out from Bud Light that has everyone talking. It plays the classic Stevie Wonder song "Superstition" and shows the lengths that fans will go to in their game time rituals. The campaign has everyone buzzing because in some ways they see themselves: lucky rabbits, wearing the same shirts, parking in the same parking spots, etc ... superstitions that fans actually hope will affect the outcome of the game.
This approach is a bit of a risk for Bud Light. Evidently sales of the brand are biggest during the first week of the season, more so than many of the holidays. So to run a spot that is counter-category could be a risk.
Why "counter-category" you may ask? Well while all the other brands are showcasing endorsement deals from players, Bud Light is focusing on the fans. There's no high-priced quarterback knocking back a Bud Light ... just fans showing their love of the sport ... and showing how connected they are to it (and ultimately to the brand).
The official beer of fans who will do whatever it takes ...
There are also some promotional extensions involving Fantasy Football which I am sure are engaging the fans (winning lifetime tickets to your favorite team has to be pretty enticing). I think it would have been fun to hear some of the real fans superstitions, but I couldn't find a way to do that on the site or on Facebook. With over 5MM "likes" that could be a miss.
But I don't think it's ever too much of a risk when you focus on your consumers. The brand clearly sees (a rather obvious) insight and they tapped into that. Surely, that can't be a miss.
"It's only weird if it doesn't work!" ... What's your experience? Jim.
Jim Joseph
President, Cohn & Wolfe NA
Author, The Experience Effect series
Marketing Professor, NYU
This approach is a bit of a risk for Bud Light. Evidently sales of the brand are biggest during the first week of the season, more so than many of the holidays. So to run a spot that is counter-category could be a risk.
Why "counter-category" you may ask? Well while all the other brands are showcasing endorsement deals from players, Bud Light is focusing on the fans. There's no high-priced quarterback knocking back a Bud Light ... just fans showing their love of the sport ... and showing how connected they are to it (and ultimately to the brand).
The official beer of fans who will do whatever it takes ...
There are also some promotional extensions involving Fantasy Football which I am sure are engaging the fans (winning lifetime tickets to your favorite team has to be pretty enticing). I think it would have been fun to hear some of the real fans superstitions, but I couldn't find a way to do that on the site or on Facebook. With over 5MM "likes" that could be a miss.
But I don't think it's ever too much of a risk when you focus on your consumers. The brand clearly sees (a rather obvious) insight and they tapped into that. Surely, that can't be a miss.
"It's only weird if it doesn't work!" ... What's your experience? Jim.
Jim Joseph
President, Cohn & Wolfe NA
Author, The Experience Effect series
Marketing Professor, NYU