Bud Light is looking to connect with Canada’s small towns through a national campaign that focuses on country music.
Many country artists start their careers performing in local bars, and leaving small towns behind when they begin playing on bigger states. The new “Buckle Up Tour” campaign sees Bud Light promoting a national tour in collaboration with Canadian country music singer Owen Riegling.
“We wanted to find an authentic way to bring country music home to small-town bars across Canada this May… We are setting out to meet our consumer and target audience where we know they are living, and surprise and delight them with a free country-music show,” Veronica Bart, senior communications manager at Labatt Breweries of Canada, tells strategy.
Produced by entertainment agency Live Nation Canada, the tour will take Riegling to small-town bars across the country to recognize the roots of country music. Riegling will perform in 12 bars in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario beginning on May 6. As part of the collaboration, the artist will perform a song inspired by Bud Light.
Riegling is also the focus of the campaign’s visual concept. The artist is depicted singing while being illuminated by a light, reflecting the importance of shining a light on small communities and piquing the interest of a key consumer demographic, according to Bart. The campaign’s target audience is the rural and suburban light beer consumer who’s old enough to drink, and who likes to enjoy country music but often has to travel to city centres to see their favorite acts, she says.
Bart adds that Bud Light’s DNA is rooted in live music.
“We have a legacy of creating exceptional live music experiences as a frequent festival sponsor and creator of the Bud Light House Party Tour. This year, part of our marketing mega-platform evolved to focus on country music, as there has been a notable rise in country music popularity,” Bart says. “Ultimately, through music, Bud Light is aiming to connect with country fans in an authentic and meaningful way.”
The agencies involved in the campaign are Anomaly handling lead creative, Starcom on media buying, Salt XC overseeing experiential, and Veritas covering public relations and communications. The campaign is being supported by a marketing plan that includes radio, Meta and YouTube amplification, a collaboration with TV channel Much and radio network Pure Country to expand reach in the music environment, as well as partnerships with influencers.
