Budweiser Celebrates 150th Anniversary With a Nod to America's Favorite Pastime
Major League Baseball is mere weeks away from Opening Day, and Budweiser is not wasting any time paying homage to America's favorite pastime to celebrate its 150th anniversary alongside America's 250th birthday.
Budweiser, the American-style lager introduced to the world in 1876 by founder Adolphus Busch, is celebrating the popular beer by bringing back the fan-favorite MLB team cans with new vintage-inspired designs.
The cans feature throwback-inspired designs for 16 partner teams:
- Arizona Diamondbacks
- Baltimore Orioles
- Chicago Cubs
- Cincinnati Reds
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- Houston Astros
- Minnesota Twins
- New York Yankees
- Philadelphia Phillies
- San Diego Padres
- San Francisco Giants
- St. Louis Cardinals
- Tampa Bay Rays
- Texas Rangers
- Washington Nationals
- Athletics
The cans feature the commemorative 150 insignia and team wordmarks on the front, with vintage illustrations on the back honoring each team's classic logos, colors, and uniforms.
Budweiser's pinstriped cans are now available at participating markets.
The Bud 150 Club
One of the coolest things Budweiser is launching this year is its Bud 150 Club, which the beer company bills as "a unique members-only program built for a small group of die-hard fans who want to get closer to the action."
So, what's the Bud 150 Club? Inspired by the MLB Gold Card, the Bud 150 Club is a special Budweiser cards that grant fans access to perks that'll make even the most affluent friend jealous.
The Bud 150 Club card is pre-loaded to enjoy Budweiser at the ballpark this season, wherever Mastercard is accepted. Those with the Bud 150 Club card will also have the chance to score tickets to MLB Jewel Events, including the All-Star Game, MLB's hard-to-get Field of Dreams tickets, and the World Series.
Like a Rolex or a 70-year-old bottle of Glenfarclas, the Bud 150 Club will be extremely difficult to get, and only 150 will be made available.
To score a card, fans are implored to follow Budweiser's social channels to learn how they can win a card.
"Budweiser has been an essential part of the Major League Baseball experience, from championship celebrations to everyday moments at the ballpark and at home. As the No. 1 American Classic Lager, Budweiser is the beer fans reach for when they watch baseball, and we're committed to bringing them closer to the game this season and for years to come," says Todd Allen, SVP of Marketing for Budweiser at Anheuser-Busch.
As part of the anniversary celebration, Budweiser is also adding three MLB legends to its player partnerships roster: Ken Griffey Jr., Randy Johnson, and Mike Piazza.
What's interesting is that Griffey Jr., who was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016 as a Mariner, appears in Budweiser's campaign sitting in front of a Cincinnati Reds vintage can, a team he played for for nearly a decade, hitting home runs career home runs No. 500 and No. 600, before he was traded to the White Sox.
Then there's Pizza, who famously holds a grudge against the Dodgers after they traded him in 1998 to the then-Florida Marlins. He went on to play with the New York Mets and was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Met in 2016.
For Budweiser's campaign, he proudly smiles while sitting in front of Budweiser's classic Dodgers can.
Johnson, aka The Big Unit, reps the Arizona Diamondbacks in the campaign, which makes sense.
While he played for the now-defunct Montreal Expos and the Mariners, among others, he won his only World Series in 2001 as one of the scariest pitchers alive during his time with the Diamondbacks, who ousted Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and the mighty Yankees, aka the Evil Empire.
Johnson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015 as a Diamondback.
In any event, the three MLB legends will join Budweiser for signature content creation and special appearances at marquee activations that spotlight baseball's most electrifying moments and storied traditions.
And nothing says storied tradition like a vintage cold Budweiser.