Relief Aid in a Beer Can

Whether it is wildfires in Greece or tropical cyclones in the southern USA – when catastrophe strikes every type of help is needed. In Summer 2017 Hurricane Harvey hit the American states of Texas and Louisiana so badly that many lost their lives and tens of thousands were made homeless. This unusual campaign meant the Anheuser-Busch brewery was able to help people affected on the ground.

Known for its beer brand Budweiser this company sent over 410,000 cans of water to the areas hit by Hurricane Harvey. To do this the company’s local branch in Cartersville in the state of Georgia temporarily halted beer production. In a specially designed can over 12,000 litres of water were delivered to the Red Cross.

This is not the first time the company has made water available in times of crisis. Thanks to their relief programme since 1988 it has been possible to distribute over 76 million cans of water to people affected by natural disaster.

The company has now even set about expanding its initiative with awareness campaigns on the responsible use of that valuable resource water. As part of its “Better World” initiative Anheuser-Busch is helping the NGO River Network clean up rivers. This year the beer company has come up with a special fundraising campaign for the organisation Water.org founded by composer Gary White and actor Matt Damon.

Until mid-April fans of the Stella Artois beer brand were able to support the projects of this aid organisation by purchasing Stella Artois products. For every 12-pack of canned or bottled beer purchased the company ensured someone in a developing country received access to clean water for a year. And with the purchase of a limited-edition beer glass packaged in three different cartons sporting either Mexican, Indian or Filipino motifs they ensured this for as much as five years. For the limited-edition glass Anheuser-Busch opted for a striking ad campaign called ‘Buy a lady a drink’. Around the time of the Super Bowl in February 2018 the US actor took part in a high-impact media campaign for the celebrity-backed relief initiative.