Anheuser-Busch Announces Multi-Year Partnership Renewal With NBA

NEW YORK, Dec. 1, 2015 – Anheuser-Busch and the National Basketball Association (NBA) announced today a multiyear extension of their long-term marketing partnership, which began in 1998.

Anheuser-Busch will continue as the Official Beer Partner of the NBA, Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and NBA Development League (NBA D-League). As part of the agreement, Anheuser-Busch will also expand its marketing partnership to include USA Basketball and the league’s Hispanic marketing initiative, Noches Ene-be-a.

For the first time, Anheuser-Busch and the league will work together to produce an original digital content media series, designed to bring its brand messages to life through basketball. These videos will appear on NBA-owned properties and will be shared on Anheuser-Busch-owned properties this season.

The partnership also includes enhanced packaging and marketing rights. Anheuser-Busch can now feature select NBA and team logos collectively on a national basis on cans, bottles and other packaging and in promotional campaigns, enabling its brands to better connect with the league’s rapidly expanding national fan base.

A number of Anheuser-Busch’s flagship brands will activate as part of this partnership. Starting this season, Budweiser and Bud Light will run NBA marketing activations at the same time, with each brand owning year-round platforms and different marquee league events, including NBA All-Star, NBA Playoffs, The Finals, NBA Draft, and WNBA All-Star.

“We’ve expanded this longstanding partnership in key areas that matter to our consumers, like content, packaging, and our new affiliation with USA Basketball,” said Lucas Herscovici, Vice President, Consumer Connections at Anheuser-Busch. “The new agreement will allow us to connect our brands with the league, its teams, and its fans through authentic campaigns that shape the industry.”

“Our relationship with Anheuser-Busch is one of our longest standing partnerships, and we’re thrilled to be expanding our activation in new ways that span the basketball calendar,” said Emilio Collins, NBA Executive Vice President, Global Marketing Partnerships. “The marketing commitments being made by the Budweiser and Bud Light brands will engage fans in a multitude of new ways through live events, retail programs, digital activation and great storytelling.”

In addition to its league partnership, Anheuser-Busch will promote its brands via the NBA’s broadcast partners and continue to engage fans locally through its 22 team deals. Anheuser-Busch also has NBA partnerships in other regions, including a recently announced extension with Harbin Beer in China, and a new partnership in Brazil.