Strategic PR Stunts: Beer, Aliens and Feminism

Published on September 26, 2019, at 5:30 p.m.
by Heather Griffith.

This past June, a Facebook user created the event “Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us,” and it created a frenzy of memes and tweets, grabbing the attention of many brands. During this time, Bud Light teased the release of special edition, alien-themed packaging, and on Sept. 13, made it official. Earthlings will now be able to enjoy their favorite beer with their new alien friends — if they can escape Area 51, that is.

Bud Light’s alien-themed cans are primarily being used to create buzz around the brand and connect with younger audiences. However, Anheuser-Busch, the parent company of a variety of popular beers and other alcohols — including Bud Light and Budweiser — is a brand that knows how to have fun and go beyond surface-level PR stunts to leave a lasting impact.

Anheuser-Busch is one of many brands that participate in PR stunts celebrating different events and trends throughout the year. Brands must take caution when participating in celebrations like these, because consumers will see straight through a superficial attempt at supporting a cause. Instead, brands should focus on demonstrating their support through actions rather than specialty products.

This year, Budweiser took a unique approach to commemorate International Women’s Day. Budweiser repurposed three of its ads from the 1950s, which depicted women as dutiful housewives, and re-imagined them with strong, independent women at the forefront. It ran the 1950s ads side by side with the updated ads in top publications like The New York Times, Chicago Tribune and L.A. Times.

Budweiser made the strategic decision to use its own past advertisements and show the company’s progression over the past 60+ years. The company was honest and open about its past and demonstrated that it is striving to make change to develop as a brand.

This campaign opened a door for consumers to follow Budweiser’s journey in becoming a more inclusive brand in advertising and in its own workplace. This is the type of lasting impact that public relations practitioners should always strive for when planning a campaign.

From alien-themed beer cans to re-imagined ads, Anheuser-Busch creates innovative and entertaining marketing campaigns that connect with its audiences.