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Bud Light Knows Not to Shave

By: Casey Schoelen

Superstition is not something to be taken lightly, especially when it comes to loyal sports fans. While Bud Light’s “Very Superstitious” won’t sell more bottles of beer, any sports fan and beer drinker will appreciate their recognition of the long-standing, unofficial tradition of superstition, male and female alike. Some fans don’t shave their beards until the first loss and others wear the same jersey for every game as long as the team wins. These imaginary luck charms are a universal theme for any serious sports fan, no matter the sport or the team.

It is important for brands to understand the consumer and relate to them in their messaging. If a brand is only connecting with consumers to essentially ask for money in the form of a purchase, that becomes the main focus for the consumer. In today’s world of the empowered consumer, they expect and even demand a level of engagement and respect from products and their brands. Connecting with consumers in ways that reflect brand values and personality is key. Just because a beer drinker always goes for the cold mountain Coors Light doesn’t mean messages for other brews have to be lost on them. Maybe a viewer eats, sleeps, and dreams baseball instead of football but they too will have their own secret game-winning superstition. This universal sports fan habit is something Bud Light is capitalizing on in an engaging way. Not everyone fancies themselves an ice-cold Bud Light at the end of the day, but sports fans always fancy themselves a goofy superstition in the name of victory.

Strong branding doesn’t mean a company is always trying to sell the consumer. It’s about recognizing and appreciating them. It can be subtle, intellectual, and thought provoking. It should honor the consumer in a way. Bud Light’s new spots effectively achieve this goal because at the end of the day, all sports fans unite. Superstition is just a part of the tradition of loving a sports team and even though they are irrational, they add to the experience. Sports fans have been known to do outrageous things in the name of their team and Bud Light hit it right: it’s only weird if it doesn’t work. No matter how out-of-the-box or extreme a fan’s actions, pre-game rituals, or attire may seem, they are an imperative part of success on the field. However, if the team in question does lose...well, there are plenty of other supersititions out there to adopt.

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About the Author

Casey Schoelen is a young millennial excited and passionate about branding, advertising, and marketing. She is also a Nashville-native who loves traveling, reading the NYT, and watching sports.

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