The Weekly Beer Brief recently caught up with Rob McCarthy, vice president of Budweiser, to get his perspective on the recently launched “Track Your Bud” digital initiative.

WBB: What is the idea behind Track Your Bud?

Rob McCarthy: Track Your Bud is a celebration of the history, heritage and quality of Budweiser that is presented through the lens of our 12 breweries and 12 brewmasters.  The application just launched and the platform includes a social application that integrates with Facebook to connect beer drinkers across the country with each other through the Budweiser they hold in their hand.  Users are able to access video content, collect badges from each of our U.S. breweries and name batches of beer if they’re the first to track a beer from that particular batch.

WBB: What makes Budweiser’s quality story different than any other brewer/brand?

Rob McCarthy: Budweiser is one of the most difficult beers to brew. It uses only five ingredients, one of which is the original Budweiser yeast strain from 1876.  Budweiser is brewed in 12 U.S. breweries, meaning our consumers are drinking beer that traveled a short distance to reach them.  This allows for fresh beer made with the utmost attention to quality.  For many beer drinkers in America, Budweiser is a “local” beer based on the proximity of our breweries.

WBB: How can wholesalers help activate this program?

Rob McCarthy: Track Your Bud is the perfect complement to on-trade sampling and consumer engagement.  We need your help to get the word out.  It is an easy application to use.  It takes about two minutes to load the app, and from then on you are interacting with consumers directly about their beer.  It really works.  To support these efforts in the on-premise we have coasters and table tents available for ordering on AB Marketing.  We also have signage, billboards, print advertising and point-of-sale materials, and we anticipate strong word-of-mouth support among users.

WBB: What’s next for Budweiser in digital?

Rob McCarthy: We’ll be launching a new Budweiser.com this spring, also with a focus on “fans first” and delivering compelling content and experiences. We also use email with our fans, and we encourage Budweiser fans to sign up for Budweiser’s Guide to Great Times at Budweiser.com.