In selecting Haaland and Klopp, the brand was looking for figures who embody that emotional connection.
“We were looking for someone to narrate this story in the campaign, and someone who was charismatic and known for their passion and emotion,” Oppy said. “Klopp was at the top of our list.”
In Haaland’s case, the fact that he’s a second-generation World Cup player appealed to Budweiser.
“We were talking to Haaland about being the star of the campaign and he mentioned that his dad played in the 1994 World Cup,” Oppy recalled. “We thought it’d be pretty cool if we had Haaland and his father in the campaign together. [Alfie-Inge Haaland] was excited to be part of it with his son because he was a Budweiser fan.”
Merchandise activations
Budweiser is also engaging fans with limited-edition bottles and an exclusive online shop, The Bud Fan Store.
The bottles feature World Cup designs from the past 10 tournaments. When Budweiser announced the bottles on social media, Oppy said fans responded in record numbers, asking where and when they’d be available.
“These designs bring back so many memories for different people,” he said. “For those in Brazil, they’re trying to get the bottle that has the Korea design from 2002, or the USA design from 1994, because that’s where they won the World Cup.”
Fans in China, meanwhile, are targeting the bottle from 2002, the year China qualified for its first World Cup.
The Bud Fan Store will sell other merchandise like hats and clothing, with the Budweiser and World Cup logos. Much like the bottles, Oppy said memorabilia is another way to celebrate the fans and create lifelong World Cup memories.
