The night before Thanksgiving has earned the nickname of “Blackout Wednesday,” for its reputation as a time when family and friends can get together at local bars for an evening of catching up. Though it can be a night of excess, Budweiser Zero is giving consumers a chance to moderate their behavior without compromising the experience.
This year, participating bars across the U.S. will offer consumers an opportunity to sample their year-old alcohol-free brew between the hours of 12-1 a.m. local time (which the brand is calling “Zero Hour”). In addition, the brand is partnering with Uber to provide consumers with a credit for their ride home that evening.
“We know there is a fine line between a good night and a bad morning, and some people may regret having those extra beers at the end of the evening,” said Daniel Blake, group vice president of marketing, Budweiser & Value, at Anheuser-Busch InBev. “By introducing Budweiser Zero at the end of the night, we hope to encourage more consumers to drink responsibly by enjoying Bud Zero as a moderation tool.”
Consumers who try the complementary drink during the “Zero Hour” will receive a $25 voucher for Uber or by entering a sweepstakes on Budweiser’s social media channels and signing a pledge to drink responsibly.
“Zero Hour encourages consumers to moderate their drinking without compromising on experience or flavor,” Blake said. “The partnership with Uber is a natural extension of the importance of drinking responsibly and creates a stress-free ride home after reuniting with friends at a bar.”
The brand will be promoting “Zero Hour” through its social media channels and through signage at bars where the Zero Hour and the Uber partnership are taking place. Zero Hour will happen in 115 bars in 83 markets across the U.S. The Uber promo will occur in 30 cities based on “locations where Budweiser Zero is present and cities where family friends often meet at local bars on Thanksgiving Eve,” Blake said.
