The concept of “ambush marketing” is quite tricky and, in some ways, relatively brilliant. Essentially, it is a marketing campaign developed by a non-sponsor company that interferes with an event sponsored exclusively by a competitor. Major sporting events, such as the Olympics, have fallen prey to these gorilla tactics in the past. The bigger the event, the more money involved, the bigger the deal.

“Events like the Olympics and the World Cup are hugely expensive to put on, so they need big-money sponsors and this in turn means that the organizers must protect aggressively against ambush marketing,” — Phillip Johnson, a visiting senior fellow at Queen Mary, University of London. “But this means there is potentially huge exposure for anyone who manages to outwit them.” Continue Reading »

Alcohol consumption has a long history of coinciding with major sporting events. And typically, alcohol consumption increases around championship series and games. Budweiser has recognized this issue and, in honor of the 2010 World Cup, has created an ad campaign encouraging people to designate a driver. The ads will run until July 11th.

“Our new ‘Designate a Driver’ campaign is intended to bring our responsible drinking message to life during this time of excitement and celebration. Backed by significant resources, we’ll take our message to millions of consumers over the coming weeks.” – James Watson, marketing director at Budweiser Western Europe Continue Reading »

Yes, it’s Super Bowl beer commercial season, which basically means Bud Light commercials. Here are some classics to back-up the rest of your Super Bowl experience. I’m officially pulling for the Saints. New Orleans has a hell of a beverage culture that would get a big boost from a Saints Super Bowl win. Continue Reading »

An artist’s rendering of what could happen if Belgian beer workers recruited local monks to join their cause, and if A-B InBev somehow created a robot army to impose their will, and if everyone agreed to take LSD for the good of the experience.

Last week on the Mutineer Blog we took a look at a dispute brewing between A-B InBev and its Belgian workers over proposed layoffs.

According to, “UPDATE 2-AB InBev fails to end Belgian beer blockades” a follow-up article on Reuters:
The Belgian workers have blocked the entrances to the company’s plants in Leuven and Liege for 13 days and a week at Hoegaarden in protest at AB InBev’s plan to cut a net 263 jobs out of its 2,700 Belgian workforce. Continue Reading »

Word on the street is that A-B InBev is going to cut a bunch of jobs at its Belgian breweries, and the fine men and women working in these breweries are pretty ticked about it. Local supermarkets are running out of beer, and beer shortages never defuse situations, this much we know.

According to “AB InBev says distribution hit by workers’ blockages“, an article by Reuters:

Access to the Leuven and Jupille breweries, which principally produce Stella Artois and Jupiler beer, has been blocked since Friday. Continue Reading »

Anheuser Busch Flirts With Releasing Entire Lineup of 55 Calorie Beers
Originally posted on: Saturday, June 20, 2009

I must admit that I’ve never really understood the logic behind light beer. It just seems silly to me. With the 7th most viewed Mutineer Blog post of 2009, silly got sillier with 55 calorie beers entering the conversation compliments of Anheuser Busch. Continue Reading »

As a follow up to yesterday’s fine beverage warehouse spectacular, I present to you some intense footage of Bud Light that has been spilled over an overpass and is narrated by the most un-psyched guy ever. “Oh my gosh…Bud Light. Oh my gosh, look at all of it.” The road under the overpass must’ve smelled like a frat house for weeks…

Seven-time Tour-de-France winner, Lance Armstrong likes his beer watered down. That’s why he’s teamed up with Michelob ULTRA. The beer has been selling itself as booze for athletes for years and now they’ve got a real-life athlete to ballyhoo for them.

Armstrong is slated to star in one TV commercial for the brew and to make a cameo in another. Both ads will pop up in 2010, presumably between sports broadcasts. In addition, images of Armstrong will be used in print, outdoor-advertising, digital media and product packaging — and I, for one, can’t wait to see the new Lance Armstrong label.

Over the years, Armstrong has acted as spokesman for other businesses, including a long relationship with Nike. He’s also the founder of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which benefits those affected by cancer. But this will be the first time Lance has gotten on board with an alcoholic drink.