How Budweiser is upping the ante in experiential marketing

In this interaction with Adgully, Ankit Kataria, Director of Marketing, AB InBev India, speaks about the force behind Budweiser’s dynamic presence in India’s festival landscape. He dives into the heart of Budweiser’s commitment to elevating the festival experience, exploring its unique partnerships, immersive initiatives, and the brand's conscientious approach to environmental sustainability.

Could you tell us about Budweiser’s involvement in the festival season and how the brand is enhancing the consumer experience?

Budweiser has built great equity by delivering unique experiences, initiatives, and campaigns across music, sports, and culture. Music has been and continues to be a passion point for the brand to engage with our consumers.

Over the years, we’ve brought home notable international IP’s including EDC, Sensation, Mixmag, DGTL, Boiler Room, and Lollapalooza, elevating India’s electronic music and hip-hop landscape. We’ve also partnered homegrown IP’s like Magnetic Fields and Echoes of Earth, making Budweiser synonymous with high-energy moments.

Our partnerships grow every year, and we double down on curating differentiated experiences for our consumers. For example, we’ve teamed up with top brands and designers for exclusive merchandise drops at each festival we’re part of. These ‘hype drops’ represent a tangible connection to the music, art, and culture that Budweiser is championing.

Through our initiatives to elevate festival-goers experiences, brand experience zones, and partnerships that drive music culture in India, we’re transforming the festival experience. This allows attendees to revel in the vibrant atmosphere and artistic essence of each event, while engaging with our brand in unique ways.

What inspired Budweiser to partner with festivals like DGTL, Magnetic Field, and Echoes of Earth? How do these partnerships align with the brand’s values and objectives?

Our decision to partner with music festivals like DGTL, Magnetic Fields, Echoes of Earth, Lollapalooza, and others is driven by our commitment to elevate India’s music scene, while engaging with our consumers in meaningful ways.

The partnerships we’ve undertaken closely align with our values in many ways. First, we recognise that music is a strong passion point for our consumers. Through our associations with music festivals, we tap into the vibrant and dynamic music scene, connecting with our consumers through a shared love of music.

Second, our partnerships span both global and homegrown music IP’s, highlighting a balanced approach that helps us foster a global platform for local talent. This allows Budweiser to contribute to the growth of electronic music and hip-hop in India, while bringing international acts to Indian audiences.

Third, our involvement with festivals goes beyond just music. We are actively working on creating immersive experiences for consumers, working with partners to create merchandise for events, and more- fostering a tangible connection to cultural elements of each event. This integration of music, art, and fashion reinforces Budweiser’s role in championing diverse cultural expressions.

Immersive experiences have become increasingly important in the festival scene. How is Budweiser incorporating immersive elements into these events, and what can attendees expect? Could you share some specific examples of the immersive experiences Budweiser is offering at these festivals? How do these experiences connect with the music and overall atmosphere?

Budweiser delivers immersive experiences at festivals, seamlessly integrating them with the music and the overall atmosphere. We do this in different ways.

We’ve taken over key stages at festivals, like the BudX Generator Stage at DGTL, BudX North Stage at Magnetic Fields and more. These stages showcase an exceptional lineup spanning genres, offering attendees a diverse set of artists to listen to. We’ve also recently launched ‘BudX Uncovered’ - an initiative where the brand spotlights emerging acts, many of whom will perform in India for the first time. This initiative reflects Budweiser's commitment to nurturing creativity and innovation in the music space, bringing together a diverse range of artists and music enthusiasts to create unforgettable moments. As part of ‘BudX Uncovered’, we will also launch ‘Budweiser Anthems’ with key artists, capturing the journey of songs that have become synonymous with their genres.

Finally, Budweiser goes beyond being a stage at a festival by creating experience zones that are tailored to each festival’s theme. For example, at DGTL, we created the ‘Budweiser Brew District’, where attendees could engage with attractions like an anamorphic bar, an AI prompt station, and even tattoo and piercing stations. These experience zones enhance the immersive experiences we offer consumers, providing them interactive elements that extend beyond musical performances.

Music festivals often attract a diverse audience. How is Budweiser tailoring its immersive experiences to appeal to a wide range of festival-goers?

Budweiser excels in tailoring the immersive experiences, to have them resonate with wide ranging audiences. First is through themed on-ground engagements, which are meticulously designed in line with festival themes. For instance, at Lollapalooza 2022, Budweiser paid homage to the spirit of Mumbai, through installations like ‘Bud Local’. This concept instantly invoked nostalgia surrounding the city that was home to the first edition of the event, resonating with festival-goers across ages.

We also leverage our brand portfolio to offer a spectrum of experiences catering to varied preferences. Through a wide range of beverage options and experiences, we ensure that our engagements across portfolio brands appeal to the diverse tastes and interests of the festival’s attendees.

Sustainability and eco-friendliness are important aspects of some of these festivals. How is Budweiser addressing environmental concerns in its festival activations, especially at events like Echoes of Earth?

We are conscious of and actively addressing environmental considerations at music festivals across the board. At Echoes of Earth, our initiatives reflect a commitment to sustainability and social responsibility. This is in line with growing consumer expectations for brands to be accountable for their environmental impact.

In 2022, Budweiser installed a solar powered bar at Echoes of Earth. This year, the brand will take over the Serpent stage, which will be made entirely from recycled materials. These efforts reflect an awareness of the expectations of environmentally conscious festival-goers and a dedication to promoting positive change within the live events industry.

Collaboration with artists and musicians can be a key part of enhancing festival experiences. Are there any notable collaborations or performances that Budweiser is excited about this festival season?

We recently launched ‘BudX Uncovered’, an initiative where the brand spotlights emerging acts, many of whom will perform in India for the first time. This initiative reflects Budweiser's commitment to nurturing creativity and innovation in the music space, bringing together a diverse range of artists and music enthusiasts to create unforgettable moments. As part of ‘BudX Uncovered’, we will also launch ‘Budweiser Anthems’ with key artists, capturing the journey of songs that have become synonymous with their genres. At DGTL 2023, the surprise artist ‘uncovered’ by Budweiser was Ukranian techno DJ and producer, Dana Montana. Stay tuned as we uncover more such acts across the music festivals we’ve partnered with!

With the growth of digital and social media, how is Budweiser leveraging technology and online platforms to engage with festival attendees before, during, and after the events?

We recognise the significance of technology and online platforms in engaging with festival attendees throughout their event journey.

Before festivals, we use social media to generate anticipation and create excitement for events. This includes the creation of exclusive content, running ticket giveaways and featuring outtakes from our preparations.

During events, our innovations involve using technology to create a seamless experience for attendees. For example, for DGTL 2023, we introduced Budweiser’s “Fast Lane Access Card” through which consumers could unlock the best beer offers, benefit from wait-free beer experiences, and get the chance to meet & greet artists performing at the event.

Beyond the festival, we’re exploring synergistic partnerships that tie in with our goal to elevate and transform the music scene. For example, Budweiser has collaborated with Spotify for a cross-cultural celebration of the extraordinary talent shaping the future of music. “BudX on Spotify” is a global collaboration that unveils the unique stories and sounds of emerging artists. Budweiser will soon launch curated playlists, artist recommendations, exclusive merchandise, and tickets to its own music experiences as part of this collaboration.