Budweiser's new ads, which focus on the people who physically brew the Bud and the integrity with which it's made, looks like a continued effort to fight the perception that its beers are watered down.
In February, beer drinkers across the U.S. filed lawsuits against the company totaling $5 million that claimed since merging with InBev in 2008, Anheuser-Busch increasingly added water to its beers to reduce costs.
Peter Kraemer, Vice President of Brewing and Supply, responded to the claims, saying "Our beers are in full compliance with all alcohol labeling laws. We proudly adhere to the highest standards in brewing our beers." Independent NPR- and CNN-conducted tests proved Kraemer right — all the beers tested measured within 0.3% alcohol by volume of the content advertised by the company.
Still, Budweiser has a perception problem, which is one reason for new ads which focus on personalized brewing process.
The Anomaly-created commercials, which start airing today, open with the question "Do you know who brewed your beer?" They then introduce some of Budweiser's brewmasters from around the country, friendly-looking people who say things like "We work hard every day to make your Budweiser the perfect Budweiser," and "I am passionate about Budweiser flavor."
Kraemer also makes a cameo as a fifth generation brew master.
The spots builds on A-B InBev's 'Track Your Bud' campaign, a clever online tool that shows customers where and how their beer was brewed.
A-B InBev is also suing former employee James Clark, the original whistleblower of the watering-down scandal, to try to fix its negative public perception. A-B says Clark "improperly used and misrepresented our confidential information to instigate these lawsuits."
InBev is currently facing demand issues in North America — a drop in domestic US beer shipments saw demand in the first three months of 2013 falling 5.1%, down from 1.2% growth last year.
Will these spots help the company's turnaround?
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