Anheuser-Busch InBev is responsible for 500 beer brands, including Budweiser, Bud light and Stella Artois. They run 227 breweries and sell beer in 150 countries. Being the world’s largest brewer, they are a valuable partner to retailers, driving footfall and increasing sales. For this reason, Anheuser-Busch wanted their in-store displays and communication to be absolutely best in class. They wanted to know that their investment in shopper facing communications maximises brand visibility, appeal engagement and sales.
Anheuser-Busch Company Facts:
- Anheuser-Busch InBev brews more than a quarter of the world’s beer
- In the US, the company holds a 48.5% share of US beer sales
- 8 of the 10 most valuable beer brands belong to Anheuser-Busch
- Anheuser-Busch InBev generated global revenue of over $52bn in 2019
Primary Anheuser-Busch Business Goals
The main goal of the workshops was deliver knowledge and expertise which would improve and optimise the performance of in-store displays and messaging with a view to maximising Anheuser-Busch brand visibility, appeal, engagement and sales. Wider goals also encompassed:
- Recruiting more new customers into the beer category
- Increasing purchase frequency for beer
- Driving up average weight of purchase for beer
- Optimising premiumisation wherever possible
Adcock Solutions Ltd designed, developed and facilitated a number of workshops for and Anheuser-Busch. These enlightening sessions embedded the core foundations of effective shopper psychology within both Anheuser-Busch and their key design agencies.
The Workshops
We initially scheduled one 3-hour workshop, engaging more than 150 Anheuser-Busch stakeholders and employees. The workshop combined knowledge sessions with interactive activities to not only accelerate the attendees' understanding of psychology and behavioural science but also give them an opportunity to put into action.
“Thank you Phillip, you did a great job indeed! We got plenty of messages, people saying they enjoyed it and found it very useful!"
Following the success of our first workshop together, we scheduled a second, specifically targeting the design team. The aim was not for me to tell them how to design (I am not a designer!) but rather to make the team aware of the psychology of their designs.
A key area of opportunity was identified that involved leveraging shopper psychology to optimise in-store display principles. In other words, how to provide in-store display and communication to retailers based more on shopper psychology and behavioural science.
The Outcome
Anheuser-Busch are now in the process of disseminating the insights further throughout their business network's network.
They have recognised the potential from embracing shopper psychology and behavioural science, and have invested in actively growing their expertise in this area, helped in no small part by Adcock Solutions Ltd.
Action Points
- Incorporate shopper psychology and behavioural science into the Anheuser-Busch display and communications design process
- Align with design agencies to produce an effective combination of best-in-class design and proven shopper psychology
- Develop hard and fast shopper messaging rules and principles
- Adapt the design blueprints for various retail channels and store types
Summary
When improved shopper understanding is combined with a more science-based approach to shopper communications, the result is a better beer category in-store; better for shoppers, better for retailers and better for the brands they sell.
