Busch Light Apple Launches with Inspiration from...Apple
It’s not a secret that I’m a huge fan of Anheuser-Busch’s approach to marketing. As a big, stodgy behemoth with “aging” brands, they used the microbrew revolution as a wake-up call instead of a death knell. They embraced agility, news-drafting, content and culture, perhaps as well as anyone over the past few years. My blog postings are littered with examples — from Victory Fridges to Quarantine-ready picnic blankets to initiatives celebrating Commencement .
What I love about it all is the commitment. They have decided to act a certain way, and their brands have embraced that M.O. consistently and without “over-thinking.” I’m not walking their er…halls, but I get the sense that if someone comes up with an idea that sings — either internally or externally — the barriers to making it happen are limited. That is a huge deal, and it’s so much of what a consumer brand marketer desires. Let us run with something.
All of which takes us to the latest effort we’ve fallen for…Busch Light’s launch of Busch Light Apple. The Busch portfolio has always been a bit more open to risk, embracing of the Interwebs and all-the-like. This is another example of a clever, shareable, get-folks-talking launch. The simplicity of the idea (as always) is what gets me most jazzed.
In the “imagine you were in the room” spirit, I’d like to assume someone just suggested…”hey, it’s Apple. Why don’t we do a funny spoof on those old Apple keynote addresses where they launched the new iPhone or whatever. We can put Busch Guy in the Silicon Valley uniform and use funny, stupid tech-speak and all that. Launch it online, cut it up for social…”
Yup, that’s how I’m sure it happened. Regardless of the how, it delivered this humorous result:
There’s no deciphering needed for the creative brief on this video. We love the trolling of the familiar tech keynote script, complete with the use of fun and familiar phrases like “groundbreaking,” “innovative,” “state-of-the-art,” “cutting-edge,” “revolutionary” and “tireless research” among others.
I love the fact that the brand shoehorned related gear and got that up on a dedicated site. They also chose a strategic (and similarly funny) review to help accompany launch efforts.
All of it is smart, but not over-engineered. Right brand voice, including returning to the core auditory and visual cues at the “keynote video” end. Nicely done again, Buuusch.
P.S. This commercial is forever etched in my memory, both from its sticking power and the soundtrack!
