Busch IV's First TV Ads For Budweiser By Jim Kir

ST. LOUIS - August Busch IV, heir apparent to the huge family business known as Anheuser-Busch, got his first major crack at the helm of the mothership last week, l

As expected (ADWEEK, March 15), the new ads carry the tagline ‘Proud to Be Your Bud,’ a throwback to the brand’s tried-and-true era when ‘This Bud’s for You’ helped sustain a healthy growth rate. But much more is riding on the new campaign and on Busch IV, A-B’s vp/Budweiser brands. The brand, which outsells No. 2 brand Miller Lite nearly two to one, is in a midst of a two-year sales slump, and analysts warn that once a No. 1 brand takes the turn, it’s almost impossible to revive.
‘Given the economic conditions, we feel there’s not a better time than now to go back and recognize the consumer,’ Busch IV told reporters last week. ‘ ‘Nothing Beats a Bud’ was a product-focused campaign. It’s now time to go back to a consumer-focused campaign.’
A-B, which is used to taglines that last for more than 10 years, dumped D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles’ ‘Nothing beats a Bud’ after only three years. Busch IV said it was time to ‘show appreciation to the (Bud) consumer.’
But the campaign will have to do more than thank the consumer. After a terrible summer last year that saw sharp discounting on Bud and eventually on most other top brands, Bud and some other leaders are already cutting back on pricing.
‘We think this summer will be a record-selling summer,’ Busch IV said. ‘The campaign and fair pricing should nail it for us.’
Three new spots from D’Arcy were launched last week showing emotional scenes ranging from men exchanging baby photos, to people saving a calf caught in a flooded stream.
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