ST. LOUIS -- Anheuser-Busch is turning over one of its Super Bowl ad slots to a campaign for the Beer Institute that furthers A-B's push to enhance the image of beer, said W. Randolph Baker, vice president and CFO of the St. Louis brewer, according to an Ad Age report.
Plans for the campaign, under development since last year, were revealed during A-B's fourth-quarter earnings call. The move comes as beer continues to lose market share to spirits, said the report.
Baker said in the call that the spot is part of A-B's strategy [image-nocss] to romance beer that is being led by Bob Lachky, vice president of brand management and director of global creative.
The 30-second commercial from Omnicom Group's DDB, Chicago, carries a Here's to beer message and features people toasting beer in different languages. It will connect to a www.herestobeer.com website due to launch on Super Bowl Sunday.
But while the spot will be identified as coming from the Beer Institute, it is not financed by one of the group's members, Miller Brewing Co. We are happy and supportive of Anheuser-Busch spending its own money on an industry campaign, Miller spokesperson Pete Marino told Ad Age. We will be making our own investments in marketing Miller brands.
Late last year, Lachky told members of the trade media, including CSP Daily News, We don't really have the image we would like to have. In an ecumenical call to arms against the rapidly growing spirits and wine segments, Lachky detailed a campaign spearheaded by A-B that seeks to unite beer manufacturers and its trade association, The Beer Institute. Remember, the enemy is hard liquor and wine, he said.
He outlined a four-prong consumer campaign that would center on the social value of beer, the romance of the product, viewing beer differently and the health benefits of beer.
Lachky said he talked with executives of A-B's major competitors, including Miller Brewing Co., to discuss the plan. He said the biggest concern among rivals was cost.
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