Dive Brief:

• Busch Light, owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev, released step-by-step instructions on how to create an acoustic guitar out of a 30-pack of the beer, per details shared with Marketing Dive.
• The guitar was designed in partnership with Logan Elliott, who is known for crafting guitars out of everyday objects. The move celebrates Busch Light’s entry into the country music space as the official beer sponsor of Country Music Association’s CMA Fest.
• The brewer is also hosting a social media contest between Aug. 9 and Aug. 11 where fans can share their favorite Busch Light and country music themed memory using a hashtag for the chance to win a Busch Light guitar signed by country artist Jordan Davis.

Dive Insight:

The Busch Light guitar is the latest attempt by the brewer to connect with rural and Midwest communities, both crucial beer markets with high levels of competition, especially from Molson Coors rival brand Miller Lite. The guitar and accompanying social media contest, which can be entered using the hashtags #BuschCountry and #Contest, could produce consumer-generated content that strengthens its relationship with those buyers.

Midwestern consumers, those from Iowa in particular, remain the bedrock of Busch Light’s drinkers. While beer’s parent company, AB InBev, produces the most popular beer in America, Bud Light, the brand’s secondary light beer has a firm stronghold in the Midwest. Bud Light is more popular in the South and along the Eastern seaboard. A similar trend is seen with rival’s Molson Coors’ Coors Light and Miller Lite. Coors Light, the larger of the two brands, enjoys popularity in Texas and the West Coast, while Miller Lite enjoys Midwestern popularity. Maintaining and growing a Midwestern foothold is essential for these secondary light beer brands.

Busch Light’s DIY guitars take branded merchandise to a whole new level. Not only are consumers encouraged to go out and purchase the beer needed for the project, it gives the drinker a whole new personal connection to the brand through a homemade object.

Homemade guitars have been popular in America since the 1800s, when professionally made instruments were often too difficult and/or expensive to procure. Such guitars, often made of cigar boxes, delivered music to the masses, with notable players including Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top and Paul McCartney. While such guitars fell out of popularity over the years, the rise of DIY projects have brought homemade guitars back into style.

The guitar could draw attention to existing efforts Busch Light has made in recent years to foster a connection to the country music scene. Along with serving as the beer sponsor of CMA Fest, the brand recently unveiled a roster of country artists it plans on supporting in 2022, including Ashland Craft, Matt Stell and Riley Green.

In the larger picture, the push represent’s the brand’s efforts to further connect to Midwestern and rural consumers. Other initiatives include supporting female NASCAR drivers and a limited edition, co-branded John Deere can. For each case of the limited edition can sold, Busch Light donated $1 to Farm Rescue, up to $100,000.