Budweiser, the self- proclaimed King of Beers, is about to undergo a change in design.
Budweiser has experienced much change in the past few years, particularly in its ownership. By now, most everyone is aware of the takeover by InBev and the loss of Anheuser- Busch as an exclusive American company. Change has been rapid at A-B, and with this change the company has decided to remake the beer’s packaging. It will now sport a “bowtie” design, one that sports a red- colored bow- tie shaped area with the Budweiser name in the middle.
This change in design might seem a little odd for a product that already sells so well. After all, if a product enjoys high sales, any attempt at change is inevitably going to be met with the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” routine. This would have likely been the rallying cry at the old Anheuser- Busch, but as everyone knows, A-B is no longer an exclusively American company. It is now owned by a Belgian/Brazilian business that is progressive in its philosophy and ready to remake the company in a new and forward- thinking image.
According to officials at InBev, the change to the design is an effort to reinforce Budweiser’s position as a global brand. Budweiser, they say, is a big selling brew and change is needed to reflect the times and keep the beer in- tune with its loyal consumer base. However, it is likely also a move intended to boost sales. Budweiser is still a top- selling brand, but its sales in 2010 have dropped and it is far from its market- leading sales peak from many years ago.
Budweiser has sported twelve different packaging versions since 1936, so a change in uniform is nothing new to the business. It will be interesting to see if this new bowtie design has any real impact on the beer, its following, and ultimately its sales, which have been slumping as of late.
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