Plus: Venice Biennale jurors explain the reasoning behind their resignation; concerns about disinformation have never been higher.
Budweiser is 150 years old.
To mark the milestone, the beer brand is rolling out a new national TV commercial, releasing limited-edition cans celebrating its history, and taking its Clydesdales on tour across the country. Consumers should expect to see the famous horses at local parades, state fairs and sporting events.
“From the farmers and brewers to the drivers and communities we serve, Budweiser has always been about the people and the moments celebrated over our iconic high-quality American Classic Lager,” Todd Allen, SVP of marketing for Budweiser at parent company Anheuser-Busch, said in a statement.
Overall, the marketing push is meant to spotlight the role Budweiser has played in several generations of American life.
Why it matters: Few companies better understand the price of a marketing misstep in today’s divisive media environment than Anheuser-Busch. Its Bud Light partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney in 2023 ended up costing the brewer an estimated $1 billion in lost sales. All over a single TikTok video.
Chances are Anheuser-Busch isn’t eager to take any chances anytime soon. Hence the motivation to double down on Budweiser’s history of patriotic symbols and messaging.
A press release outlining Budweiser’s plans for its 150th anniversary uses the words “America,” “American” and “Americans” nearly three dozen times. A version of the phrase “bringing people together” appears five times.
What makes Budweiser’s strategy even safer is that it’s occurring amid a flurry of national festivities. Not only is the U.S. Men’s National Team competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in host cities throughout North America this summer, but America itself is set to celebrate 250 years of independence this July 4th. Any displays of red, white and blue from Budweiser in the coming months will fit in, rather than stick out.
This is a good strategy if sales are going in the right direction. The brand has stuck to a similar message for many years, so consistency suggests it’s still working. But it’s a bad move if the brand needs something fresh to appeal to the next generation of beer drinkers. Everything must evolve to some degree to remain relevant and vital.
Editor’s Top Reads:
- All five members of the international jury for this year’s Venice Biennale quit just days before the world’s most prestigious art exhibition was scheduled to begin. In a brief statement announcing their resignation, the jurors pointed to an earlier letter explaining their intention to deny awarding artists who come from “countries whose leaders are currently charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court.” Neither statement named a particular nation, leaving that job to media outlets, which noted the decision would affect Israeli and Russian artists. And while the jurors acknowledged the complicated relationship between individual artists and a state’s current government, the messaging highlighted an obligation to do what’s right even if it gets in the way of business as usual. As the jurors put it, they “have a responsibility towards the historical role of the Biennale as a platform that connects art to the urgencies of its time.” By deferring to the ICC’s authority on the matter, not naming names, and expressing the purpose behind their actions, not everyone will agree with the jury’s decision, but they can understand the reasoning.
- Concerns about disinformation have never been higher, according to a new report from the Institute for Public Relations and market research firm Leger. In total, 71% of U.S. adults consider deliberately misleading or biased information a major problem, placing it alongside the economy (72%) and homelessness (71%) as one of the nation’s most pressing issues. As for fixing the problem, more than three-quarters of Americans believe companies and brands should take a stronger role in combating disinformation. It’s a difficult request, given that most consumers say public relations and marketing professionals are at least somewhat responsible for spreading disinformation. One bright spot: local news. Both Democrats and Republicans trust it as a source of information.
- The Associated Press Stylebook has made a decision: It’s now healthcare. One word. Same goes for childcare and daycare. AP Stylebook editor Anna Jo Bratton announced the update at the recent ACES: The Society for Editing’s annual conference in Atlanta. “As editors, we like things to stay the same,” Bratton wrote in an email following the event. “Consistency is our bread and butter. But language evolves, and in this case, it was time.”
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