ST. LOUIS, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Anheuser-Busch is expected to announce it will give away free beer to lure customers back to its ailing Budweiser brand, USA reported Wednesday.
Budweiser has slipped from No. 16 in a national brand recognition poll in 2003 to No. 220, the newspaper reported. Sales have also fallen, dropping 9 percent in 2009 and 2010.
The company's latest marketing ploy includes free beer samples in 6-ounce and 12-ounce portions with the aim of handing out 500,000 samples of Bud by mid-October.
On Sept. 29, the company is hosting a "Budweiser National Happy Hour," with samples provided to pubs and restaurants. Anheuser-Busch is also working with Facebook to funnel freebies to participants on their 22nd birthdays.
Brand marketing consultant Robert Passikoff said turning around Budweiser's slide is an up hill battle.
UPI
