InBev Marketing

Most of us know O’Doul’s as that weird beer in the corner

of the bodega cooler. Released in 1990 as a nonalcoholic

alternative for people who wanted beer without the booze,

it’s since become something of a cultural punching bag.

But many of us would like to have the social experience of

drinking without actually drinking–suggesting that part of

O’Doul’s bad rap might be its green-and-gold branding,

which portrays it as a faux-Irish lager rather than embracing

its role as a beer alternative.

In anticipation of “Blackout Wednesday,” as the Wednesday

before Thanksgiving when many college students come home

and party is known, the Anheuser-Busch corporate social

responsibility department has developed a potentially brilliant

marketing play. In select bars across Manhattan, they’ll be

experimenting with a new, limited-edition O’Doul’s can design

by the celebrated graphic designer Mr. Kiji.

Instead of green and gold, Kiji reimagined the can with quirky

geometric patterns and retro pastels. The typography looks

more like something out of a zine than a label for a beer can;

the whole design is pure Instagram bait.

“I came into this role a few months ago when we were looking

across our portfolio. We have over 100 brands . . . and you can

imagine we don’t give the same priority to all those brands,

when we have Budweiser, Bud Light, and Goose Island,” says

Adam Warrington, vice president of corporate social responsibility

at Anheuser-Busch. “But then we have O’Doul’s. At 28 years old,

there’s a a level of equity in the brand, but it’s not a new brand.

It’s been there for a while and it’s been untouched for a couple

decades.”