Budweiser has activated its Russia World Cup 2018 marketing campaign, ‘Light Up the World Cup’, which it maintains is the biggest spend ever invested by AB InBev.
Miguel Patricio AB InBev’s global chief marketing officer branded it the “largest commercial campaign in the history of AB InBev”. While spend was not revealed, the brand did say it will push the work in more than 50 countries. Patricio said the tournament is “estimated to be the most watched event in the history of the human race, we are proud to return again”.
The US beer brand distanced itself from issues stemming from the event being hosted in Russia. Complaints about the treatment of LGBT people, free speech and the country’s tensions with the West form a large part of this.
Brian Perkins global marketing vice president of Budweiser, said: “We have been working with the World Cup for 32 years, it is not a political moment.” This view is consistent with that put forward by top sports marketers talking to The Drum too.
Perkins reflected this: “Our job is to bring more people together and the World Cup does that more than any other event. It is our biggest opportunity to do our job.”
Read more at The Drum: http://www.thedrum.com/news/2018/05/08/ad-the-day-budweiser-unveils-ab-inbevs-largest-ever-marketing-campaign-world-cup
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