Bud Light's announcement is one of those interesting moments in beer-ad agency hook-up history. This is the fourth ad agency for the brand in as many years, so hope springs eternal, as they say. The freshly appointed agency has a powerful "creative reputation" among the ad-agency community. On the strength and lure of that reputation, some very big clients have hired them. And while most big ad agencies count themselves lucky to land a single beer account, this is the third time these particular folks will have the opportunity to apply their advertising talents to a major beer brand.
Let's see if we can figure out what all that experience has taught them about selling beer. The better to predict the difference they'll make on Bud Light.
The MGD experience
Let's see if we can figure out what all that experience has taught them about selling beer. The better to predict the difference they'll make on Bud Light.
The MGD experience
The year was 1997. Desperate to breathe life back into its Genuine Draft brand, Miller Brewing turned to this same very hot agency. Here's what the Milwaukee guys got...
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Based on press accounts, the agency apparently promised MGD "very product-focused" ads with "the sharpest selling proposition." The clients had every right to expect ads that would dramatize the brand's distinctiveness. But what they got instead were ads short on substance, but long on form: black-and-white film noir technique, oddball humor (shaking up beer cans), and tongue-in-cheek cleverness (Rhode Island-size vats). That "sharpest selling proposition?" It simply failed to materialize.
As so often happens, the creative folks had chosen "edgy" and entertainment over effective. This mistake occurs with sad regularity in the ad game for one reason: ego. To garner accolades from their peers in the ad-agency community, regardless of whether the advertising campaign actually results in sales, the "creatives" channel entertainment rather than selling power. So it wasn't surprising when the accolades came on MGD, but not the sales.
Six years into the campaign, Miller fired the agency.
The Heineken experience
Four years after parting with Miller, the same agency took on the Heineken account. Its answer for the Amsterdam brewer was the so-called "Legends" campaign. These ads were mini-movies, loaded with entertainment value, but nary a hint of anything to make Heineken seem different from any other beer. Fantasy: 100, fact: 0.
As so often happens, the creative folks had chosen "edgy" and entertainment over effective. This mistake occurs with sad regularity in the ad game for one reason: ego. To garner accolades from their peers in the ad-agency community, regardless of whether the advertising campaign actually results in sales, the "creatives" channel entertainment rather than selling power. So it wasn't surprising when the accolades came on MGD, but not the sales.
Six years into the campaign, Miller fired the agency.
The Heineken experience
Four years after parting with Miller, the same agency took on the Heineken account. Its answer for the Amsterdam brewer was the so-called "Legends" campaign. These ads were mini-movies, loaded with entertainment value, but nary a hint of anything to make Heineken seem different from any other beer. Fantasy: 100, fact: 0.
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But boy, did this campaign get the accolades! Culminating late last year when Heineken received the Creative Marketer of the Year award from the ad industry's Cannes Lions jury.
In an epic bit of déjà vu, however, Heineken's stagnating sales did not respond to the work so assiduously celebrated as "creatively brilliant." As the fortunes of the green-bottled beer continued to languish, leadership changes were made at the client, and less than a month after the big Cannes announcement, Heineken sent its Lion-winner ad agency packing.
So, what should Bud Light expect?
Perhaps the third time will be the charm.
When an ad agency's entertainment-laden creative recommendations have twice resulted in millions of dollars--actually, hundreds of millions--expended behind campaigns that did nothing for sales, you'd think these bright folks would've learned a hard lesson. You'd think they'd put aside their self-serving quest for praise from their peers, and shoulder the difficult work of identifying the product aspect of Bud Light that makes it distinctive. You'd think before worrying about awards, they'd help identify Bud Light's uniqueness, and only then create avertising that makes this distinctiveness come to life in some fun, fresh, provocative fashion.
No doubt, Bud Light will find in its new agency a team now firmly committed to making ads that communicate how the beer is unique.
You'd think.
Perhaps the third time will be the charm.
When an ad agency's entertainment-laden creative recommendations have twice resulted in millions of dollars--actually, hundreds of millions--expended behind campaigns that did nothing for sales, you'd think these bright folks would've learned a hard lesson. You'd think they'd put aside their self-serving quest for praise from their peers, and shoulder the difficult work of identifying the product aspect of Bud Light that makes it distinctive. You'd think before worrying about awards, they'd help identify Bud Light's uniqueness, and only then create avertising that makes this distinctiveness come to life in some fun, fresh, provocative fashion.
No doubt, Bud Light will find in its new agency a team now firmly committed to making ads that communicate how the beer is unique.
You'd think.
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