Jennifer Anton, Anheuser-Busch InBev's marketing manager for its Budweiser and Becks brands, has built up an impressive career in the drinks business. After several years working agency-side, she completed an MBA in marketing management, before working at Unilever.
She moved on to brand management and new brand development roles at large spirit and beer companies in the US, but, after 14 years of marketing in the US and Canada, decided to move across the Atlantic, taking up her current role in January 2013.
"I have always loved understanding how consumers think," says Anton. "And what excited me the most about coming to work for Budweiser in the UK and Ireland is that it truly is a global beer brand."
Experiential activity and live events are a central part of Budweiser's marketing activity, helping to put its brand message across to boost relationships with consumers and show them the brand's personality and values. "This is important in each of our markets, especially key ones like the UK," asserts Anton. "We believe that giving consumers a relevant experience will help drive more purchases of Budweiser and engage people with the brand."
One example of this was the brand's FA Cup activation this season - the Budweiser Open Trials - which ran in association with BT Sport. This engaged thousands of amateur footballers looking for a second shot at glory by playing at Wembley Stadium in front of scouts. A documentary telling the story of the Open Trials was broadcast on BT Sport on FA Cup Final day, 17 May, and through Budweiser's UK YouTube channel.
The Open Trials story was also told through outdoor advertising at Wembley Stadium for both semi-finals, and the best players will be heading to Rio to play in the Bud Cup.
The brand will focus on football throughout the summer. As the official beer sponsor of the 2014 Fifa World Cup, which kicks off this month, it has a globally unified ad campaign called Rise As One, celebrating the moments that unite and inspire fans of football around the world. "We are also adding to this by giving consumers the chance to win prizes for World Cup experiences in Brazil, and by encouraging fans here to come together to celebrate, whether at a viewing party in a bar or with friends at home," explains Anton.
Fans who aren't travelling to Brazil can attend Budweiser viewing parties at Riley's Bar in Haymarket, central London, with the entire venue devoted to bringing the World Cup experience to life. Anton says the brand has also provided kits to other retailers, along with hints and tips on how to deliver their own World Cup viewing events to ensure they become destinations for watching the tournament.
Meanwhile, a supermarket activation called the Bud Challenger, a Crystal-Maze style game, creates a theatre environment and enables customers to enjoy the World Cup in-store rather than just watching it at home. The experiential campaign is live in hundreds of Tesco and Sainsbury's outlets around the country leading into the World Cup.
Anton believes the activity works well by challenging Budweiser customers to engage with the brand to win gifts that are only available through Budweiser as an official sponsor.
"When creating experiential marketing activity we always want to make sure the brand identity comes through in a unique Budweiser way, which is why football is a great focus for brand activations," says Anton. "Budweiser should always be where people are together, having a great time."
Similarly, social media is a key tool and runs through all of Budweiser's experiential marketing campaigns. The medium is used to ensure that fans are rewarded for their loyalty throughout the year, especially during key campaign peaks.
For the brand, this means choosing the right events, locations and execution to match what it wants to communicate: encouraging groups of friends to have a great time.
As an alcohol brand, Budweiser has an added challenge to promote responsible behaviour, ensuring that everything it does takes into consideration the guidelines for alcohol promotions in the UK.
"It's critical that when we encourage people to celebrate, we want them to do so responsibly so that they can continue to have great times," says Anton.
Music is another focus for Budweiser's brand activations. After the World Cup, Budweiser plans to amplify its music heritage and credentials to UK consumers, based on the 'Made in America' music festival platform, which has already achieved success in the US. "Experiential and live events are very likely to feature as part of our UK music activations, so stay tuned for more on that," says Anton.
Jennifer Anton In brief
2003: MBA, marketing management, DePaul University
2003-2007: Brand manager, soups, Unilever
Mar 2007-Mar 2009: Brand manager, innovation, Constellation Spirits
Mar 2009-July 2012: US brand manager, Miller Genuine Draft; brand
manager, innovation, Miller Coors
Jan 2013-present: Marketing manager, Budweiser & Becks, Anheuser-Busch
InBev