No one has ever tried to claim that Budweiser was a “modest” brand, but this might be the most overconfident move the beer company has ever made. Given the contentious state of our country’s politics, plus the upcoming Summer Olympics, Ricardo Marques, a vice president from Budweiser, has said this “may be the most American summer ever.” And you know what that means? Time for Budweiser to represent all things AMERICA.
The beer’s new tagline: “In your hands you’re drinking America.”
While the classic can stays the same, the Budweiser name has been replaced with America, because you know, nothing says America quite like Bud Heavy. The beer will keep this new name through the November election.
“We thought nothing was more iconic than Budweiser and nothing was more iconic than America,” says Tosh Hall, creative director at the can’s branding firm JKR.
At least you can’t deny the brand’s insane ego and confidence.
The alterations don’t stop with the beer’s name. Almost every bit of type on the Budweiser label has been scrubbed away by Easter Egg patriotism, with new text citing the Pledge of Allegiance, the Star Spangled Banner, and America the Beautiful—all rendered in newly developed hand lettering, inspired by Budweiser’s archives.
To name just a few of the updates: “King of Beers” has been changed to “E Pluribus Unum,” “The World Renowned” changed to “Land of the Free,” and “Anheuser-Busch, Inc.” updated to read “Liberty & Justice For All.” Even legalese like “Trademark” was changed to “Indivisible,” and “Registered” changed to “Since 1776” (you know, the year America was founded—even though, technically, Budweiser wouldn’t be available for another 100 years).
But if you think this campaign simply has to do with a patriotic company reinforcing its love of country, you’d be incorrect. It has much more to do with the brand solidifying itself as the official beer of the U.S. of A., especially against the backdrop of a growing craft movement that continues to eat its market share. Rebranding as America is a way for the brand to say to its customers – “hey if you don’t drink us, you’re not just turning your backs on macro lager, you’re turning your backs on your country too!”
