Have a Budweiser, it’s free (if you can find it)

We have no idea what possessed them in St. Louis to come up with such a dumb promotion. Desperation, we suspect.

Budweiser, which used to be the most popular beer brand in America, has kicked off a massive promotional push with a nationwide giveaway of 500,000 free samples in U.S. bars, pubs and restaurants in an effort to shore up an alarming erosion in sales.

For years, Budweiser has been struggling to attract younger drinkers who prefer low-calorie light beers or more exotically flavoured craft beers. Sales were down to 9.5 percent last year, from a peak U.S. market share of 26 percent in 1988. Americans seem to have tired of the red bottle, sharp fizzy taste and sports-focused advertising with slogans such as “Whassup?”

Several months ago Carlos Brito, CEO of AB-InBev, announced a textbook turnaround for Budweiser. But did he really have this in mind?

There is no denying that AB-InBev is very determined to get this brand back on track because of its international importance. However, it’s going to be a tough battle. And promotions like the current one will not really do the trick.