Budweiser Positioning puts sales over sentiment for this year's Super Bowl® advertising
Budweiser didn't exactly throw the puppies under the bus, but those pooches are definitely no longer on the payroll in its Super Bowl positioning advertising.
The beer behemoth announced that they will not be bringing back their cute puppies as part of the Budweiser positioning spots for the 2016 Super Bowl, instead targeting beer drinkers with beer advertising.
Everyone loved the puppies. No one bought more beer.
The past two years saw the emotion-heavy puppy stories put a giant "awwwww" all over social media. Both Budweiser positioning advertising spots topped the big game's best-of lists as positioning advertising favorites. Turned out that entertaining viewers has nothing to do with generating sales. Puppies don't drink beer. Family-friendly, heartwarming tales don't make people want to pound more Bud. After all, is Budweiser positioning supposed to be about the animal-lover's brew ... or America's beer (now represented as "The Great American Lager")?
No matter how good the ad, or how well it's received, if the marketing isn't about the brand's position in the marketplace, then it is a well-intentioned waste of money.
Maybe they can try out for the Puppy Bowl?
Innis Maggiore Case Study
'Tis the season for giving (and positioning)
Stark Community Foundation's mission is to connect charitable givers with the causes that mean the most to them. Now in its third year, Innis Maggiore's contribution to that effort is becoming ever more clear.
Time was, Stark Community Foundation struggled with the impression that its mission was out of reach for many charitable givers. Stated bluntly, it was assumed Stark Community Foundation was only for wealthy donors. This was hardly the case, and the Foundation was determined to prove otherwise.
Though the Foundation's position as a trusted partner in giving has not wavered, its advertising has been focused on the concept of "accessibility." Read any publication or advertisement by the Foundation and you'll see the concept that "you too can start a fund for what matters to you." Going on three years now, we've employed real people and real stories to convey an approachable and accessible Stark Community Foundation.
But effective positioning is never just about advertising. It's about operationalizing it across all aspects of your business. Stark Community Foundation has successfully embraced this concept with its most recent initiative: Charitable Giving Cards. Just in time for the holidays, Charitable Giving Cards work just like regular gift cards for retail stores. Purchased online and redeemed by charities for cash. Easy. What could be more accessible than that?
For a great holiday gift, consider a Charitable Giving Card from our friends at starkcf.org.