August 25, 2009 Entry 2

A-B InBev Wants Bud to Go Global, With Coke as a Model

DDB Tapped to Lead Worldwide Effort to Craft Singular Message for Iconic Brand

Posted by Jeremy Mullman on 08.25.09 @ 04:55 PM

       

CHICAGO (AdAge.com) -- Anheuser-Busch InBev has named Omnicom Group's DDB lead global ad agency for its iconic U.S. beer brand Budweiser, with an eye toward transforming it into a global player much like another iconic beverage, Coca-Cola.

DDB, which has handled the "King of Beers" in the U.S. since the mid-1990s, will introduce Budweiser into potentially dozens of new markets around the world, as well as create new ad programs for markets where the brand already is available. In some cases, DDB's broad marketing programs and messages will be tailored to local markets by local brand teams and agencies. (Local agency assignments for Budweiser will not be affected by the move.)

While Budweiser already has a major presence in the U.S., China, Canada and the U.K. and is available to some extent in about 80 markets worldwide, the brand is scarce in large swaths of the globe, such as Africa.

How will Budweiser move away from their brand as the "great American Lager" to a brand that can be more globally recognized?

See full article here:http://adage.com/globalnews/article?article_id=138648