What happens when you combine known and trusted brands with creative and memorable campaigns that promote moderate drinking? You get ‘social norms marketing’, an evidence-based method to shift people’s perceptions and behaviors when consuming alcohol.
Social norms marketing is AB InBev’s largest initiative to advance moderation and responsible drinking, what we call Smart Drinking. These campaigns use the power of our beer brands to connect with people and feature positive social behaviors, such as eating before and while drinking, and not driving after drinking.
“People often take their cues from the actions of others,” said Andres Penate, Global Vice President, Corporate Affairs at AB InBev. “Social norms campaigns highlight positive actions, creating a sense of belonging to a larger, responsible group of people.”
Last year, our marketing teams developed more than 100 creative campaigns globally, from some of our most popular brands, to encourage positive behaviors. Here are two of the most impactful campaigns.
A starring role: Club Colombia
To address unsafe alcohol consumption in Colombia, our local brewer, Bavaria, turned to the most-watched television genre across Latin America: novelas.
Through a partnership with television channel Canal RCN, our popular beer brand, Club Colombia, created Act Well, a digital campaign featuring top talent from the channel’s telenovelas. In each scene, the stars act out moments of alcohol consumption and offer viewers advice on responsible drinking.
“The Club Colombia campaign stands out for merging entertainment with a socially relevant message, to reach a much broader audience,” said Andres. “We believe the Smart Drinking messages can resonate with the audience on a personal level, enhancing the likelihood of behavior change and reinforcing the power of social norms marketing.”
A grand-slam: Budweiser Zero
Knowing that 81% of Canadian fans of legal drinking age enjoy alcohol while at baseball games1, Budweiser Zero joined up with the country’s Major League Baseball team, the Toronto Blue Jays, to promote Smart Drinking.
To reduce drinking and driving, the Blue Jay’s stadium stops serving alcohol at the end of the seventh inning, making Bud Zero the perfect partner to become “The Official Beer of Your Cut-off Time.” Throughout the game, fans are encouraged to “sub in” no-alcohol Budweiser Zero, and from the top of the eighth inning through the end of the game, all concession sellers serve no-alcohol Budweiser Zero. Throughout the game, the campaign raises awareness among at-home fans with a Budweiser Zero broadcast takeover on Sportsnet.
“The Budweiser Zero campaign transformed a typical moment - the venue’s cut-off time - into a responsible choice,” said Andres. “The combination of convenience, timing and awareness demonstrates the power of our brands to positively shift drinking social norms.”
Learn more about social norms marketing and other Smart Drinking initiatives at AB InBev.
1Source: Statista
