‘Help create experiences’: Anheuser-Busch vp of beyond beer on finding new ways to grow brands

By Kristina Monllos

Hard seltzer broke big in the summer of 2019, but Anheuser-Busch is continuing to find new ways to keep the beverage top of mind. One strategy is to release new brands and flavors, which is exactly what the company will do early next year with a new agave hard seltzer, Cacti, in partnership with rapper Travis Scott.

Figuring out new ways to continue the growth of hard seltzer is part of the remit for Lana Buchanan, vp of beyond beer at Anheuser-Busch. Buchanan joined Anheuser-Busch last November from Campari, joining to help grow the beyond beer category, which was created in 2018 and includes hard seltzers, wine and spirits, traditional malt-based beverages and low-to-no alcohol drinks. It’s unclear how large the category is as a representative for Anheuser-Busch did not immediately respond to a follow up question, however finding new beverages and trends to tap into is part of the company’s overall growth strategy. Digiday caught up with Buchanan to ask what she’s thinking about growth for the not-bear categories, why the media spend for new brands is nearly all digital — and how she’s thinking about the Super Bowl.

This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

You’re looking to grow several new brands in different categories. How does that affect the media planning and buying approach?

It’s all about understanding the growth stage of the brand. For brands that are smaller, our focus is identifying our consumer target as well as the markets we want to launch in. When we identify that market we then look at the best way to reach our consumer with the funds we have. A lot of times, it’s digital. I tell my teams that they need to bring me digital-first plans. If there’s a one-time opportunity to create a big burst with a traditional media approach like TV, great. But the foundation should be digital and social.

Why do you say that?

We all know that today in the social world that if you’re not boosting [your campaigns with paid media] that no one sees it. When we do think about the media channels, we think about the action we want consumers to take. This year, especially, that action has been more and more focused on e-commerce. Our goal is always to reach our consumer in the right moment, ensure that we’re engaging with them when they are open to the brand or the proposition and then from there ensure we’re always connecting them to a seamless purchase. A lot of the time this is done via Reserve Bar or Drizly. With the wines, there are different regulations by state. As for the non-alcohol brands, we can play more in the direct-to-consumer space.

People can’t go to bars or drink in restaurants as they normally would. How has the pandemic changed your approach to growing these brands?

In general, our focus has been not just about how you provide the product, but how do you help create experiences. For example, one top occasion …read more

Source:: Digiday