Fishermen across the country will once again be baiting Busch and Busch Light trophy cans this season. Busch beer's popular fishing promotion is back with a new twist, giving consumers the chance to win the ultimate fishing getaway with pro fisherman and seven-time Angler of the Year, Kevin VanDam. The brand's 2016 campaign kicked off May 1st when NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick's No. 4 Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) sport a special-edition Busch fishing paint scheme during the GEICO 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega (Alabama) Superspeedway.
"Now in its fourth year, the Busch fishing campaign is an essential platform for the brand that allows us to reach those who enjoy salt and freshwater fishing," said Chelsea Phillips, senior director, U.S. Value Brands, Anheuser-Busch. "Given Busch's well-established dedication to outdoor pursuits and the sport of racing, as well as our tremendously talented partners Kevin VanDam and Kevin Harvick, we expect the 2016 iteration of the fishing program to be bigger and better than ever."
Consumers who find one of the 100,000 gold trophy cans randomly seeded in packs of Busch and Busch Light can capture a photo of themselves with the can and submit it online via Busch.com. They'll then be entered for a chance to win weekly premium prizes including GoPros, sonar systems, tackle boxes, fishing bobbers and more. Five lucky consumers will be awarded the grand prize: the fishing trip of a lifetime to one of four possible destinations to go fishing with professional bass fisherman, Kevin VanDam.
"After fishing trips to Missouri and even the Amazon with the Busch team, I can't wait for what's in store for 2016," says Kevin VanDam. "In typical Busch fashion, they're going big this year with the fishing program, once again showing their dedication to the sport and those who are passionate about the outdoors."
Starting May 8th, all Busch and Busch Light packaging was converted to feature one of the four unique fish cans and 100,000 will contain brand new gold trophy cans. The refreshed packaging will be featured on 18, 24 and 30-packs of 12 oz. cans as well as 25 oz. cans.
The graphics will represent each of the four potential consumer grand prize trip destinations, with a particular species of game fish representing each trip's geography. The four fish species and corresponding trips are:
- Red Drum in Venice, Louisiana
- Largemouth Bass in Lake St. Clair, Michigan
- Cutthroat Trout in Montana
- Sockeye Salmon in Kenai River, Alaska
In addition to limited-edition packaging, the Busch fishing campaign will include radio spots, online video, digital/social content, experiential and retail activations. Aligning with the brand's current "Here's to Earning It" tagline, each element will reinforce that Busch is the perfect reward for those who work hard – whether their line just snapped after a long battle with a trophy fish or they're frying up their catch at the end of a day on the lake.
