Dive Brief:

• 3PM, Anheuser-Busch InBev's combined marketing agency, is dedicating 20% to 30% more of its brands' marketing communications budget into "working dollars," which is "typically described as money spent on marketing that consumers see and experience as opposed to things like measurement and agency fees," Ad Age reported.
• AB InBev restructured its marketing efforts about a year ago by integrating staffers from two agencies that previously competed for AB InBev campaigns, Interpublic's PMK-BNC and Weber Shandwick, into one new shop, called 3PM.
• Budweiser will not be airing another puppy commercial during Super Bowl 50 in 2016, though the puppy spots topped USA Today's Super Bowl Ad Meter for the past two years. 

Dive Insight:

While successful in terms of ratings, the puppy commercial didn't sell as much beer as AB InBev would have liked last year, prompting the change in creative.

"Budweiser aired two very different spots in last February's Super Bowl, and we learned that content focused on the quality of our beer was most effective in generating sales," AB InBev vice president of marketing Jorn Socquet told Adweek. "Starting with our 'Brewed the Hard Way' ad in last year's game and throughout 2015, our marketing has featured a bold, confident voice that speaks directly to Budweiser drinkers, and sales trends have improved as a result. We'll continue this tone in Super Bowl 50, and we're excited to explore new creative territory."

Getting the marketing just right is crucial for AB InBev as the company's domestic and light beer brands, including Budweiser and Bud Light, are seeing sales scourged by craft and imported beer and spirits. In addition to traditional TV ad spots, Bud Light recently branched out to embrace e-commerce and the Internet of Things with its smart beer fridge, the Bud-E Fridge.