Budweiser Budvar has unveiled a UK-wide marketing campaign to help drive increased awareness of the Czech lager brand.
Launched across OOH and social media, the campaign shines a spotlight on what makes Budweiser Budvar unique, despite sharing its name with a well-known American beer.
From promoting the use of premium local ingredients – including Saaz hops and Moravian malt – through to its brewing techniques that are claimed to create “bolder, deeper flavours”, Budvar wants to ensure beer drinkers make no mistake that its lager is a Czech original.
To bring its campaign to life, the independent-owned brand will be using billboards that draw distinctions between the authentic Czech lager and its American namesake. Meanwhile, on social media, Budvar will be engaging with lager enthusiasts through a mixture of fun facts, quizzes, interactivity, and insight.
To further emphasise the brand’s Czech heritage, Budvar is also launching a PR campaign titled Unmistakably Us (Not U.S.) to champion those who have ended up living their lives with a famous name.
As part of this, Budvar has teamed up with three people from across the UK who share their name with an American celebrity. They include Michael Jordan from Hertfordshire, Julia Roberts from Bedfordshire, and Dwayne Johnson from Glasgow. In an interview with reality TV star and former Love Island winner Kem Cetinay, each namesake reveals how their unusual name has impacted their home, work, love, and social lives.
Budvar has also set up a national hotline, encouraging people to call in and share what it’s really like to have a famous name for their chance to win a free crate of Budvar. Elsewhere, several tap rooms across the country will be hosting ‘Namesakes’ Nights’, a social meetup for people who share their name with a celebrity to enjoy a free pint of Budvar.
Claire Sharpe, UK Marketing Manager at Budvar, said: “A lot of craft goes into perfecting our beer and providing drinkers with a great quality experience. To reinforce this, we’re launching a multi-dimensional campaign to remind beer drinkers everywhere that we are individual, we are unique, and we are unmistakably Czech.
“This is a really exciting time for the brand, with lots of activity taking shape across our social media channels, OOH, and video. The team has already been working hard behind the scenes to bring the campaign to life, with the help of our namesakes, Michael Jordan, Julia Roberts, and Dwayne Johnson. We can’t wait to see what other interesting stories we uncover through the campaign.”
