A-B launches PR campaign on low carb

Modern Brewery Age, March 29, 2004

AP--Eager to woo weight-conscious drinkers, Anheuser-Busch Cos. has brewed up a new advertising message touting light beers as a tasty, carb-friendly alternative.

Anheuser-Busch has launched an ad campaign featuring four Bud Light commercials with the theme "all light beers are low in carbs. Choose on taste."

The spots, which began airing last weekend, highlight Bud Light's flavor and carb count--6.6 carbohydrates per 12-ounce serving.

"We want beer drinkers to know their favorite light beer can be consistent with a low-carbohydrate lifestyle, without compromising the taste," said Bob Lachky, the St. Louis-based brewer's vice president of brand management.

Although it's still too early to tell how much the low-carb beer sector claims, analysts say there already are more than a dozen low-carb beers competing for shelf space, including Michelob Ultra, Rolling Rock's Rock Green Light and, in limited markets, Coors Brewing Co.'s Aspen Edge.

Last summer, Miller Brewing Co. remarketed its Miller Lite as a low-carb, low-calorie beer in television, radio and print ads.

Beer experts say half the estimated $60 billion to $70 billion domestic beer market is from light beer sales as Americans continue to seek out beers that won't add to their waistline.

Just last month, Anheuser-Busch attributed robust earnings to Michelob Ultra's "outstanding success" and increased Bud Light sales volume.

Two of the new Bud Light commercials created by St. Louis ad agency Cannonball focus on the brand's quality and taste. In one spot titled "Failure to Compromise," a voiceover suggests that, "Like all light beers, it's low in carbs. Unlike any other light beer, it has the great taste of Bud Light." Another spot--"Choose On Taste"--highlights that Bud Light is the choice for beer drinkers who want great taste.

The two other television commercials--produced by Downtown Partners DDB in Toronto--parody the low-carb craze and offer tongue-in-cheek workout tips for beer-drinking adults, using a miniature treadmill for the hand and a mini exercise machine for the toe.

On radio, Anheuser-Busch plans to roll out a new spot under its "Real Men of Genius" campaign. Called "Mr. Over-the-Top Carb Counter," the commercial spoofs consumers who obsessively count carbohydrates.