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Bud Light has put the creative work for its portfolio of brands, including Bud Light, Bud Light Seltzer and Bud Light Next, up for review.
“As the brand marks its 40th anniversary, Bud Light will be reviewing its creative business as it continues its mission to build authentic and engaging connections with its consumers,” a spokesperson at parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev told Adweek. “We anticipate this process concluding later this fall.”
Wieden+Kennedy confirmed it was invited to participate in the review, but declined the opportunity. The agency will continue to work on Budweiser global, ULTRA, Corona, NUTRL and AB brand.
In 2015, Bud Light and Corona awarded the business to Wieden+Kennedy. Prior to this long-term relationship, Bud Light worked with a number of ad agencies over the course of two years, including DDB, mcgarrybowen, Translation and BBDO. Over time, W+K’s remit grew to include Bud Light Seltzer, Bud Light Next, Michelob Ultra and other brands in the portfolio.
This past Super Bowl, Wieden+Kennedy produced two spots for Bud Light, including Bud Light Next’s Super Bowl debut and Bud Light Seltzer, which featured Guy Fieri in its ad. Earlier this year, Cannes Lions announced that AB InBev would win its Creative Marketer of the Year award.
According to COMvergence, Bud Light spent $52 million on traditional and offline media in the U.S. last year, while Bud Light Seltzer’s spending reached $91 million.
Americans are drinking less beer
Bud Light’s creative review comes at a time when Americans are drinking less beer. Although still the dominant category in terms of alcohol market share by volume, beer has declined from 78% in 2017 to an estimated 68% in 2021, according to industry tracker IWSR Drinks Market Analysis.
Meanwhile, ready-to-drink beverages, such as hard seltzers and canned cocktails, have grown in popularity, surpassing wine and spirits.
Looking to meet changes in consumer demand, AB InBev has focused on innovation and developing its Beyond Beer portfolio, which includes brands such as Babe and Cutwater Spirits.
During Super Bowl 56, the company divided four minutes of national airtime running ads for beer brands (Budweiser, Michelob Ultra and Bud Light Next, a zero-carb beer) with non-beer brands (Cutwater Spirits, Michelob Ultra Organic Seltzer and Bud Light Seltzer Hard Soda).
With bars, restaurants and stadiums either closed or under restrictions during the pandemic, the alcohol industry has faced major challenges. Recent data from IWSR Drinks Market Analysis shows that while the sector is on the road to recovery, global beer consumption has not yet reached 2019 volumes.
AB InBev, however, has seen revenue return. In 2021, the world’s largest brewer generated $54.3 billion, up from $46.9 billion in 2020 and $52.3 billion 2019.
