How Anheuser-Busch InBev and Boston Beer are prioritizing ad spending this year

Anheuser-Busch InBev and Boston Beer Co. have separately signaled they could increase spending behind their brands this year as they look to capitalize on a glimpse of beer category momentum—and the strength of “beyond beer” alternatives. Boston Beer, parent of the Sam Adams, Twisted Tea, Truly and Sun Cruiser brands, will spend $30 million to $50 million more on advertising this year than last year, executives said during the company’s earnings call Tuesday. NextGen Marketing Summit Join us for a crash course on Gen Z, DTC marketing and the creator economy Register today AB InBev, in its quarterly earnings call on Wednesday, said it would step up spending behind its Michelob Ultra and Busch Light brands, which it called the Nos. 1 and 2 share gainers in a quarter that saw beer gain overall share in alcohol, and continue a pattern of sequential volume and revenue increases since the second quarter. The company did not specify a spending figure. “The main priority for us now is to invest to make sure that this portfolio continues to accelerate,” Michel Doukeris, AB InBev’s CEO, said during the call. “What we are really glad to see is the commercial momentum and the share momentum that the portfolio has in the U.S. now.” For All Access readers: AB InBev is one of the world’s largest advertisers Boston Beer spent $552 million on advertising, selling and promotion in 2024, slightly less than the $556 million it spent in 2023, according to filings. The uptick this year, which is already underway, is meant to build awareness of its brands and volume over time, CEO Michael Spillane said Tuesday. “As we’ve worked through our plans, we decided to step up our level of advertising investment across the portfolio to improve our market share trends, ensure the successful national launch of Sun Cruiser, and return to long-term volume growth,” Spillane said during the company’s conference call. Boston Beer has historically “overspent” on advertising, said Jim Koch, chairman and founder. The brand’s 2024 spend was 27.4% of net revenue of $2 billion. “We view ourselves as a growth company, so we’re willing to invest in our brands to grow them maybe at the expense of EPS in the short run. We’re going to continue to overspend and over-invest in our brands.” Sun Cruiser, Boston’s new vodka iced tea brand, is coming off a regional Super Bowl ad that signaled its national launch. The “Let the Good Times Cruise” campaign was developed in collaboration with creative agencies Squiers and Current Motion. Sun Cruiser is chasing runaway leader Surfside in the category. Its TV and digital campaign also includes sports events like MLB Opening Day and PGA Tour golf, Spillane said. Twisted Tea, Boston’s category-leading hard iced tea brand, renewed a deal as the official malt beverage partner to Top Rank Boxing, a strategy the brand said was helping connect it with Hispanic consumers. A new retail program will increase displays tied to Twisted’s college football presence. Squiers is the brand’s creative agency. “We’re targeting new drinkers in underpenetrated demographics, specifically Hispanics and African Americans,” Spillane said. “And then we’re leaning in on brand support,” including new sponsorship deals with DraftKings and the “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast. Boston’s struggling hard seltzer brand Truly will also see a spending increase and a new campaign for the summer. Its messaging will shift from emphasizing function (“Lightly fantastic”) to what Spillane called “a more compelling brand message.” Truly will continue to sponsor U.S. Soccer and expand to sponsorships on Barstool Sports’ “Pardon My Take” podcast as well as the “Chicks in the Office” podcast. Goodby Silverstein & Partners is its agency. Super Bowl success AB InBev invested $7.2 billion worldwide in sales and marketing in 2024. Its large outlay on Super Bowl ads kicking off 2025 was a success, said Doukeris, with integrated selling programs leading to accelerated share gains in on- and off-premise during Super Bowl week. Its ads were also among the favorites of viewers, with all four of its commercials finishing in the top seven of USA Today’s Ad Meter, which ranked 57 ads. Budweiser’s “First Delivery” from FCB New York ranked No. 1; Michelob Ultra’s “Ultra Hustle” from Wieden+Kennedy was No. 3; Stella Artois’ “David & Dave” from Artists Equity ranked 4th and Bud Light’s “Big Men on Cul de Sac” from Anomaly finished 7th. Busch Light also received a regional Super Bowl ad. “We’re proud to lead the American beer industry year after year by investing in moments like this that celebrate beer and delight consumers,” Kyle Norrington, chief commercial officer of AB InBev U.S., said in a press release. AB InBev’s total North American volumes decreased by 3.8% for the year. Ready-to-drink spirits brands Cutwater and Nütrl outgrew their competitors with volume growth in the mid-teens, the company said. While the majority of Boston’s growth will be behind its “beyond beer” portfolio, Koch said he was optimistic that the newly released Sam Adams American Light could fill a market gap for a “trade up” from regular light beer. That brand is also set to launch new advertising this spring. Boston’s Dogfish Head craft brand is launching Grateful Dead Juicy Pale Ale in collaboration with the legendary band, and packaging includes artwork featuring the band’s iconic “Steal Your Face” logo. Become an All Access subscriber Get access to exclusive resources including Leading National Advertisers, World’s Largest Advertisers, Agency Report, Agency Review Tracker and TV Pricing Report. Click here

How Anheuser-Busch InBev and Boston Beer are prioritizing ad spending this year

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