Dive Brief:
- Anheuser-Busch announced a multiyear partnership with the Washington Commanders, making the beverage giant the official beer sponsor of the DC-area NFL team, according to a press release.
- The partnership includes game day activations, custom content for both social media and digital channels, fan experiences and more. Anheuser-Busch will additionally give special recognition and exclusive experiences to veterans and first responders.
- To kick off the partnership, Anheuser-Busch is debuting an annual Commanders Season Kickoff Party, which features giveaways, entertainment and appearances from players. The first party will take place Sept. 8 as the NFL season gets underway.
Dive Insight:
Anheuser-Busch is expanding its NFL presence through a multiyear agreement with the Washington Commanders. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Bud Light is front and center in the sponsorship, which arrives ahead of the start of the 2023-24 season and as the beer marketer seeks to revitalize the image of one of its core brands following marketing stumbles earlier this year that have eaten into sales. Bud Light now serves as the official beer of 27 NFL teams and 24 players.
The latest Commanders tie-up includes a variety of activations meant to engage fans with Anheuser-Busch products. Gameday integrations such as The Bud Light Backyard and the Bud Light End Zone ensure that the light beer’s presence is felt by attendees in-stadium at FedEx Field. Digital integrations, including a Countdown to the Season series celebrating the return of the NFL, connect the brand to the team’s wider audience. Bud Light will also act as presenting sponsor for post-game victory speeches and promote an Easy to Celebrate series spotlighting celebrations from Commanders players.
“We are excited to have the Commanders back on our NFL roster. This partnership continues to further our commitment to football and its local fanbases across the country,” said Matt Davis, vice president of partnerships at Anheuser-Busch, in a press statement. “Our history with the Washington franchise runs deep, and these fans are some of the most loyal and passionate fans in the nation.”
Anheuser-Busch, which carries a larger partnership with the NFL, previously ended its contract with the Commanders in March 2022. The two reuniting follows the sale of the NFL team by longtime owner Dan Snyder and his family in May. Snyder’s tenure was marked by controversy and closed unceremoniously amid a series of scandals, including investigations into a toxic work culture allegedly perpetrated by Snyder, as reported in the Associated Press.
Reinforcing a commitment to the Commanders under new management comes as AB InBev looks to move Bud Light past its own struggles. The brand has been in a slump since the spring after work with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney made it the target of culture wars backlash and mass boycotts. The ensuing fallout led Bud Light to lose its spot as the top-selling beer in the U.S. to Modelo. Michel Doukeris, CEO of Anheuser-Busch parent AB InBev, said the brand would shift Bud Light’s focus to the NFL and other popular causes, such as Folds of Honor.
