Budweiser’s ingenious campaign in China: “Barely Noticeable Promotions”
The advertising campaign was designed by Fred & Farid Shanghai.
Budweiser’s campaign in China has allowed it to stand out in the competitive Asian market.
Western brands often face many challenges when trying to enter the competitive Chinese market. The reluctance of both the government and the population means that many major Western products have their local counterpart in the Asian giant.
That is why this Budweiser campaign in China has double merit. On one hand, it increased sales by 43% compared to the previous year, and on the other, it boosted brand recognition in the country by 32%.
Budweiser – Barely Noticeable Promotions
The Budweiser campaign in China is titled “Barely Noticeable Promotions” and was created by the agency Fred & Farid Shanghai, deployed across several cities in an ambitious outdoor advertising campaign.
The campaign announced a small change in Budweiser’s beer packaging: the red on its cans was intensified and expanded to highlight the Chinese people’s favorite color. To communicate this, Budweiser installed billboards equipped with NFC technology that showcased the new packaging. From a distance, the difference was barely noticeable; however, up close, consumers discovered hidden layers with additional messages and secret rewards.
This discovery game not only encouraged closer observation, but also turned a simple color adjustment into a full interactive experience. By scanning the billboards with their phones, users could access coupons, free products, and special promotions, which they could also share on social media platforms like WeChat and Xiaohongshu, multiplying the campaign’s reach.
According to Feng Huang, President and Executive Creative Director at Fred & Farid Shanghai: “We didn’t exaggerate the change, it’s just a bit redder. But by hiding that change in plain sight, we gave people a reason to really look and, once they found it, they couldn’t unsee it.”
The strategy paid off: a 43% increase in sales compared to the previous year, 3.67 million impressions, and a 32% rise in brand awareness around its new design.
Watch | YouTube
