Beer brand launches national TV ad starring championship-winning racecar driver Kevin Harvick and new fan merchandise leading into Sprint Unlimited
NEW YORK (Jan. 26, 2015) – Busch beer will make its official return to racing when its iconic logo appears on Kevin Harvick’s No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet during the Sprint Unlimited race Feb. 13 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. To celebrate, Busch will debut a television spot that celebrates the brand’s hard-working tradition and racing heritage, along with a full line of fan merchandise.
The commercial, titled “Working for Race Day,” parallels the track experiences of both the No. 4 Busch Racing team and race fans, showcasing the common ground between the two: hard work. It revolves around the idea that hard work is meant to be rewarded, and Busch is the perfect beer to celebrate the moment when the job is done, and done right. Starting today, the ad – which will have 15- and 30-second versions – will air leading up to the season and during races.
“The success of the No. 4 Busch Beer Chevrolet depends on me and the crew working together seamlessly. We win and lose as a team,” said Harvick, winner of the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. “Whether it’s on the track, in the garage, during pit stops, or in victory lane, every aspect of race weekend is a team effort and the Busch racing platform is a reminder that every win is earned, and should be celebrated and rewarded.”
Busch’s 2016 marketing platform will engage with racing enthusiasts and Busch drinkers through on-track, experiential, in-market and retail activations as well as limited-edition racing packaging. A full line of Busch racing merchandise, including shirts, hats, jackets and coolers, is available online at NASCAR.com,racelinedirect.com, and at track during race weekends, beginning with the Sprint Unlimited.
“The ad and marketing materials that we’ve produced are unmistakably Busch – the overarching theme is rewarding yourself for hard work, which is a tradition ingrained in Busch’s DNA,” said Chelsea Phillips, Senior Director of Value Brands, Anheuser-Busch. “We can’t wait for the Sprint Cup season to begin so we can get back to our roots and reaffirm Busch’s commitment to racing.”
Busch, Busch Light and other special-edition Busch paint schemes will be featured on Harvick’s No. 4 Chevrolet for 12 races during the 2016 Sprint Cup schedule:
- Feb. 13: Sprint Unlimited, Daytona International Speedway
- April 24: Richmond 400, Richmond International Raceway
- May 1: GEICO 500, Talladega Superspeedway
- May 21: NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, Charlotte Motor Speedway
- July 2: Coke Zero 400, Daytona International Speedway
- July 9: Kentucky 400, Kentucky Speedway
- Aug. 7: Cheez-It 355, Watkins Glen International
- Aug. 20: Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race, Bristol Motor Speedway
- Sept. 4: Southern 500, Darlington Raceway
- Oct. 8: Bank of America 500, Charlotte Motor Speedway
- Oct. 30: Goody’s Fast Relief 500, Martinsville Speedway
- Nov. 6: AAA Texas 500, Texas Motor Speedway
“With this roster of races, the opportunities for us to engage with fans are endless. We’ll be able to use the Sprint Cup platform to further amplify other Busch programs, such as our fishing and hunting initiatives,” added Phillips. “The schedule of races was determined based on a strategic mix of iconic race tracks, key Busch beer markets, and peak sales periods and holidays.”
Busch’s rich racing history began in 1978 when the brand sponsored the award presented to the pole winners of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, known now as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Busch went on to be the “Official Beer of NASCAR” from 1988 through 1997 and was the title sponsor of NASCAR’s stepping-stone division to Sprint Cup – currently known as the XFINITY Series – from 1984 through 2007. The last driver Busch sponsored was Cale Yarborough and his iconic No. 11 car during the 1979 season.
For more information on Busch or its involvement with NASCAR, visit www.Busch.com,www.Twitter.com/BuschBeer orwww.Facebook.com/Busch.
About Busch Beer
Busch was introduced in 1955 – holding a noted place in Anheuser-Busch history as the first new brand after the repeal of Prohibition – and still features the same time-honored recipe that was first brewed 60 years ago. Busch Light and Busch are currently the sixth and seventh best-selling beers in America, respectively.
About Anheuser-Busch
For more than 160 years, Anheuser-Busch and its world-class brewmasters have carried on a legacy of brewing America’s most-popular beers. Starting with the finest ingredients sourced from Anheuser-Busch’s family of growers, every batch is crafted using the same exacting standards and time-honored traditions passed down through generations of proud Anheuser-Busch brewmasters and employees. Best known for its fine American-style lagers, Budweiser and Bud Light, the company’s beers lead numerous beer segments. Budweiser and Bud Light Lime Lime-A-Rita were named Brands of the Year for the Beer and the Spirits, Malt Beverages and Wine categories, respectively, by Ace Metrix® in 2014. Anheuser-Busch is the U.S. arm of Anheuser-Busch InBev and operates 17 local breweries, 21 distributorships and 23 agricultural and packaging facilities across the United States. The company committed to investing more than $1.5 billion in its U.S. brewing, agriculture, packaging and distributing operations by 2018. Its flagship brewery remains in St. Louis, Mo., and is among the global company’s largest and most technologically-capable breweries. Visitor and special beermaster tours are available at its St. Louis and five other Anheuser-Busch breweries. For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com.
