Anheuser-Busch InBev NV’s move to rebrand its Budweiser cans “America” this summer marks a new extreme in a shift toward patriotic corporate marketing, a trend boosted by Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.
Hershey Co. changed the lettering on its chocolate bars last month to red, white and blue for the first time in 122 years, a nod to its sponsorship of the U.S. Olympic team. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has sought to stock stores with more “made in the USA” products. And the Carl’s Jr. fast-food chain created a sandwich last year called the Most American Thickburger (slogan: “Because America, that’s why”).
Companies’ motivation to wrap themselves in the flag has only intensified during Trump’s ascent to the Republican nomination. The maker of Hydrox cookies sought the candidate’s help to promote its made-in-America snacks at a time when rival Oreo was sending jobs to Mexico. For apparel maker CaliHeadwear, meanwhile, manufacturing hats with slogans like Trump’s “Make America Great Again” has brought fresh business.
Bandwagon Jumping
“Patriotism has been a way to market goods for a long time, but with the intensity of the spotlight on Trump and the campaign -- with ‘Make America Great Again’ as his core message -- a lot of people are jumping on the bandwagon,” said Allen Adamson, the former North American chairman of the branding firm Landor Associates.
Budweiser’s new packaging, which replaces the name of the beer simply with “America,” will hit stores May 23 and last through the election, according to Ricardo Marques, vice president of marketing for the brand. The cans also will replace the “King of Beers” slogan with “E Pluribus Unum.”
On Wednesday, Trump took credit for the move.
He was asked on the Fox News show “Fox & Friends” if Trump’s campaign had something to do with Budweiser’s decision. “I think so,” the presumptive Republican nominee said. “They’re so impressed with what our country will become that they decided to do this before the fact.”
Statue of Liberty
The rebranded cans are just one of AB InBev’s efforts to harness election mania in its U.S. marketing. Bottles and cans with a magnified view of the Statue of Liberty’s torch will also be on store shelves through mid-September.