Tag Archives: Budweiser
I’m reading Bogusky and Windsor’s Baked In and, while frequently meh, the book does sport some wisdom. The crux in my opinion is this:
“[A] brand’s products and marketing not only tell the same story but also have a deep connection to culture and the flexibility to be extraordinary.”
This got me thinking about how brands have existed throughout time, active within a culture. Particularly, one of my favorite: Budweiser.
[Disclosure: Budweiser is a client. In 2010, I completed quite a bit of content strategy for their website redesign and even dug around for a few days in their St. Louis archives.]
What can we learn from brands like Budweiser; brands that have been cultural landmarks for over a century? And what can these classic brands portend for the future?
Early Days
From roughly the industrial revolution through, say, the 1950s, brands offered consistency. They communicated to consumers that this product would be the same each and every time; they stressed dependability.
As Budweiser gained in popularity with this new light lager, imitators tried to encroach on their territory. Adolphus Busch fought this infringement – very much protecting his good name against these inferior products.
The Budweiser brand stressed consistency in these early days, but prohibition ended consumers’ ability to remain loyal. And a funny thing happened – American beer drinkers got used to the sweeter taste of illegally-produced “bathtub” beer.
Check out this collection of creative inspiration, online and off for the FIFA World Cup kicking off today.
Celia Jones | Critical Mass Chicago
The World Cup was first televised in 1954 and is now the most widely viewed and followed sporting event in the world, exceeding even the Olympic Games. Pundits are dubbing the 2010 World Cup the “first digital World Cup,” with expectations that the global sporting event will smash overall viewing records, thanks in part to the development of online TV and of smartphones such as Apple’s iPhone that will allow fans to watch on the move or—discreetly—at work.
In honor of the World Cup festivities kicking off today, we’ve assembled a round-up of creative inspiration, both in the online and offline arenas. And, in keeping with our theme, we’ve organized them based on the essential ingredients of a global sporting extravaganza.
Adrenaline
Nike’s “Write the Future”: This viral hit is a 100% pure adrenaline rush, spanning 32 countries across the globe, packed with superstars, and setting the stage for the epic rivalries that will take center stage in the weeks to come.
Patriotism
ESPN’s “FIFA World Cup Murals”: The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa is the 19th time the tournament will be played, and the first time on African soil. To celebrate this historic event, ESPN, Wieden+Kennedy and Cape Town-based AM I Collective created 33 original pieces of artwork: one for every participating country and one overarching World Cup piece. Each painting brings to life the story of that nation. The look of the artwork is inspired by hand-painted African art found in the streets and townships across South Africa, and the entire African continent.
Superstars
Adidas Originals, Star Wars Cantina: Adidas is using the England versus USA match to debut a Star Wars-themed World Cup ad. The German sportswear giant has hijacked the bar scene from the first Star Wars film, splicing stars including David Beckham, Franz Beckenbauer and a light-saber-wielding Snoop Dogg into original scenes featuring Han Solo and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Fan-atics
mi F50 adiZero: No red-blooded sporting event is complete without rabid fans—and this year’s World Cup is sure to be chock full of them. To ensure they’re wearing blazing hot shoes to match the war paint on their faces, we helped create this shoe configurator for adidas, offering fans the ability to wave their country’s flag—on their feet!
Keeping score
Who knew sport stats could be so sexy? It seems information architects and developers have been salivating at the chance to create infographics that help football fans keep track of all the action. Here are links to some of the top visualizers we found:
- 2010 World Cup – The Ultimate Graphic and Data Resources Guide
- World Cup Visualiser: Follow Real-Time Football Statistics on your iPad
- World Cup Explorer
More World Cup Must-Sees: Mini-Tron, Smack Talk, Office Pool, Flashy Uniforms and Alcohol
