Free pints when temperature tops 20°C ?!

Effective cross media mixes are surely a new wave you need to figure out. As noted in the last blog post Online X Offline = BIG POTENTIAL leveraging the physical into digital is one sure way to create pull and captivate consumers. In note of this fact here is yet another creative way that smart brands are utilizing this thinking to create buzz, engagement and just good old fashioned brand building.   

Budweiser Anheuser-Busch will be launching an app called ‘The Budweiser Ice Cold Index’.

The app sends users special offers to redeem at 2,500 participating venues across Ireland. If the temperature rises above 20°C in select towns and cities consumers will receive a free pint. The app will also offer €2 off when it reaches 18°C or 19°C outdoors, with €1 off if the temperature is 16°C or 17°C.

On a designated "Index day", consumers can redeem their free or money-off voucher between 1pm and 11.59pm. Once consumers have downloaded the voucher, the participating Index bar will provide them with a pub code and they will then have two minutes to redeem their voucher before it expires. The app will be available from May until August 31st and it is understood it may roll out to other markets in the UK should it prove a success.

Outdoor, digital, TV, print and POS activity will feature Bud Ice Cold Index "weatherman" explaining the premise of the promotion. Talk about going for it across all media spectrums!

What I like about this, is that the powers behind this idea are smart enough to know that a successful campaign surely depends on spreading the message across multiple channels--which are NOT only limited to the traditional anymore. Do I feel that this campaign needs to spend in each media category to be successful? No probably not, but hey being a big brand offers these options to really nail it. It will be fun to see what the uptake on this campaign becomes. The fact that it has buzz already with both big time bloggers and news sites talking about it before it's official launch is a good sign though.