Memorial Day. Fourth of July. The Rio Olympics. The Presidential Conventions. Summer 2016 was a celebration of all things America. And after 140 years as an iconic American brand, Budweiser went all in, literally changing its name to "America." But the changes didn't stop there. From the Star Spangled Banner to the Pledge of Allegiance, Budweiser replaced every inch of the packaging with marks of patriotism.
To both unveil Budweiser's new packaging and remind fans of the beer's American heritage, VaynerMedia created the "Sea to Shining Sea" digital video. America was built across acres of land through generations of innovation, the same ingenuity that's driven Budweiser for 140 years. The purpose of the video was to show that Budweiser stands behind the words on its can — "E Pluribus Unum" — by taking consumers on a captivating journey across America from the Golden Gate Bridge to Lady Liberty, ultimately revealing the brand's new America can.
The summer 2016 campaign wasn't just about changing the look of the beer. It was about rallying consumers around America, and the beer that proudly wore its name. The campaign aimed to use social media to dive deeper into the story of how Budweiser represents the best of America. We took viewers on a cross-country trip to Mount Rushmore — in honor of Budweiser's partnership with the National Park Service on its 100th anniversary — past St. Louis — the city where Budweiser's been brewed since 1876 — over Washington D.C. and ending at Lady Liberty. The "Sea to Shining Sea" video simultaneously unveiled the brand's new packaging and showcased the meaning behind such a significant change.
While Budweiser's "America" packaging garnered numerous media headlines, VaynerMedia was tasked with maintaining the authenticity of this change through a short, consumable social video. In today's crowded digital landscape, users make consumption decisions in a split second. VaynerMedia created a video that hooked viewers in the first few moments with striking visuals and well-curated branding. We knew it would be difficult to naturally couple compelling storytelling with overt branding, so our team turned to artful and eye-catching animation that would stand out in viewers' content-packed social feeds.
Budweiser's "Sea to Shining Sea" video was viewed more than 6 million times across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, and contextual partners. Garnering more than 18 million impressions, the video made a substantial impact online, ran as a pre-movie ad in theaters across the country, and played on a larger-than-life digital billboard in the middle of Times Square. VaynerMedia developed a captivating video that successfully provided contextual meaning to Budweiser's bold new "America" packaging. By leveraging both online and offline platforms, Budweiser's "Sea to Shining Sea" video reached consumers in an impactful way.
