Budweiser kicks off World Cup with special packs

Budweiser is launching a limited-edition FIFA World Cup packaging which will be available in grocery and convenience channels across the UK.

Budweiser has been the official beer of the FIFA World Cup for 36 years and the official sponsor of the England Men’s team since 2018. To celebrate its sponsorship the beer brand will be launching its biggest ever campaign to help retailers excite their customers. The limited-edition packs, which will be available across all Budweiser bottles and cans, will feature the World Cup trophy and a scan-to-win mechanic where shoppers can win FIFA World Cup tickets as well as Budweiser merchandise. Budweiser will also be providing customers with an array of POS and displays that hero the player’s tunnel, bringing consumers on the journey that a player feels before stepping out on the pitch.

Major sporting tournaments present a huge opportunity for retailers. The 2018 World Cup saw an 18 per cent increase in sales in the beer category than average for the year, equating to an additional 1.4m shoppers. With the tournament being held in the winter this year, there’s a unique sales opportunity for the Off-Trade to capture spend, with 70 per cent of consumers planning to watch matches at home with family or friends.

As the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup and England Men’s Football team, Budweiser has a deep affinity with football. This year, 63 per cent of shoppers plan to purchase Budweiser to drink whilst watching the games. The launch of the limited-edition Budweiser packs enables retailers to tap into consumer excitement through the tournament and drive sales.

“Despite there still being two months to go until this first match of the FIFA World Cup tournament, excitement is already high, especially following the success of the Lionesses in the summer, so retailers need to start looking at their in-store promotions now,” said Mark Wingfield-Digby, Off-Trade Sales Director at Budweiser Brewing Group. “At Budweiser, we’re big believers in the power of football to bring people together which is why we’re excited to launch our new limited-edition packs which will help shoppers get behind the team throughout the tournament. We’re proud to be the first-ever brand that’s the official sponsor of both the FIFA World Cup 2022 and the England Men’s Football team and will be activating our biggest ever campaign and working closely with customers to boost sales, so watch this space …”