Anheuser-Busch Releases New Brew Naturdays With The Help Of Athletic Partnerships
While Natural Light has been an Anheuser-Busch staple since 1977, that did not stop the brand from introducing a new product to the line called “Naturdays.” Through promotions heavily tied to various athletic partnerships, the product made a successful launch on February 25th, just in time for spring break. Although consumers continue to enjoy these A-B mainstays, this decision came in response to the need for an all-day beverage.
“We noticed a gap in the market with the new 21-plus-year-old drinkers,” stated Senior Director of Value Brands at Anheuser-Busch Daniel Blake. “There was an opportunity to bring more variety to that consumer, specifically with an innovative economy beer that had a unique flavor.”
Because of this fact, A-B set out to brew a refreshing beer that would attract individuals who enjoy both strawberry lemonade and beer. According to Blake, the goal of adding this new product was not only to fill a void in their marketplace, but at the same time keep brand awareness in mind. It was essential to the team to maintain A-B’s standard for high-quality products while introducing a brew for a new generation of consumers.
Therefore it was crucial to create a solid branding strategy to market Naturdays. First on the docket was a current media personality and former NFL punter Pat McAfee. McAfee first helped announce the release of the product by tweeting to his 1.5 plus million followers. And what truly made this partnership all the more meaningful was the fact that McAfee himself is an avid and devoted consumer of the product.
In addition to his love of Natty Light, McAfee who is also known to be a legendary storyteller who even has his own podcast, “The Pat McAfee Show.” So, “[w]hen Pat tried Naturdays for the first time, he took a sip and said, ‘You guys are about to sell a billion of these Naturdays things,” stated Blake– “he was literally tailor-made to depict the definition of a Naturday.” The hope is to make Naturdays more than just a beverage and link its laid-back theme to a rad day with friends.
“I could not be more excited to be a part of this campaign. It tastes phenomenal, and it’s literally all about creating epic stories with your buddies,” stated McAfee. “‘Red 18’ is just one example of the many, many Naturdays I’ve had, and for Natty Light to come to me and ask to MAKE A GOD DANG MOVIE about my real life…well that was just awesome to experience. I promise you’ll love the film and this beer.”
In addition to McAfee, Chris Buescher and his #37 Chevrolet made quite an entrance at the March 3rd NASCAR Pennzoil 400 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway when he rolled out in a Naturdays themed yellow-and-pink colored car with majestic pink flamingos adorned all over. While Buescher has partnered with Natural Light since 2017, the car’s unveiling was branding at its best. And, an exceptional way to ignite interest in a product through an already engaged community of fans.
There was another motivation behind the debut of Buescher’s bold and bright customized car. The stock car was designed to match the new, customized Naturdays Hawaiian themed shirts, socks, hats, and even inflatable flamingos. All the merchandise was explicitly intended to promote the new brew through strategic partnerships.
“From putting a recent graduate’s resume on Chris’ race car to now branding with Naturdays, we have found Chris to be a perfect fit for the Natty Light brand as an up-and-coming, younger driver,” stated Blake.
All of this helped drive a collaboration with Barstool Sports and the return of #NattyTour. To directly engage with their fans and main consumer base, #NattyTour and Barstool Sports have traveled around the country stopping in various college towns for the top moments in sports throughout the year. The group, lead by Barstool personalities Big Ev and Ellie Schnitt, even traveled to Texas for spring break where Naturdays took to the spotlight as it was included in the “77-pack” which is a box of 77 Natural Light-branded beers. The special pack sold out in record time.
“The #NattyTour started in 2016, and after a hiatus in 2018, was brought back in 2019,” stated Blake. “The Tour, in partnership with Barstool Sports, is one of the most impactful ways we’re able to connect directly with our fans and create unforgettable experiences for them. We’re always looking at new, interesting and different events that the Natty drinker is passionate about and where we can create moments and stories.”
And all their efforts have proven to be worth it with positive feedback coming in droves through social media. Natural Light set out to not only implement a new product but at the same time keep engage tried-and-true Natty Light fans while also bringing on a whole new generation of consumers. No easy feat. And thus far the brand looks only to be growing in popularity while maintaining its hold within an ever-growing marketplace.
And according to Blake, this is all thanks to a passionate and dedicated Natural Light community.
