The real Summer of Hard Seltzer is coming. If you thought 2020 was amazing, just wait to see what Anheuser-Busch (NYSE: BUD) has in store for you.
Spring has sprung, and hard seltzer brands are launching in time for summer. Anheuser-Busch brands are proliferating across the landscape, and the company has recently filed for trademark protection for TAKE SUMMER BY THE COOLERS, with an intent to use in association with beer and hard seltzer brand marketing.
Anheuser-Busch holds a strong third place in the market share race, as it and Molson Coors (NYSE: TAP) look to carve some of the bubble parade from Mark Anthony Brands’ leader White Claw and second place Truly, the hard seltzer from Boston Beer (NYSE: SAM).
Spiked seltzers in A-B’s arsenal include Bud Light Seltzer, Bon Viv, Cutwater spirits, and the newly released Cacti and Social Club.
The trademark follows a long list of recent filings with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) by Anheuser-Busch. “Official Hard Seltzer of Esports” and “Official Hard Seltzer of Gamers” are marks the company sought to protect. They also recently filed an intent to use mark for “Vacation in Every Sip” to be used in association with hard seltzer marketing.
Defense of the intellectual property of the mega brand sometimes involves litigation. The company just last week settled with outdoor apparel maker Patagonia, after it filed trademark lawsuit over A-B’s marketing of a Patagonia-branded beer. The beer brand “Patagonia” utilized images of mountains and the apparel maker sought to stop it, arguing in the lawsuit that those efforts were confusing to the public. Details of the settlement have not yet been published.
As brands move forward with innovative product offerings, and the associated fierce competition over share of shelf space, expect also to see innovative marketing programs and taglines to help companies grab share of consumer consciousness.
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