"OPEN THE BAR": CUTWATER AIMS TO MAKE COCKTAIL CULTURE MORE ACCESSIBLE WITH NEW CAMPAIGN AND VISUAL REFRESH

New Platform & Elevated Packaging Will Educate and Empower 21+ Consumers to Enjoy Bar-Quality Cocktails Whenever, Wherever

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Cutwater, the #1 spirits-based canned cocktail brand on the market, announces its newest initiative, Open the Bar. This integrated campaign features new, creative ad spots highlighting the brand's premium, ready-to-drink innovations which turn any occasion into a high-quality cocktail experience. Accompanying the platform is a new, elevated visual brand design seen on Cutwater's impressive line of 20+ canned cocktails, made with real, award-winning spirits including Lime Margarita, Vodka Mule, Tiki Rum Mai Tai and Mango Margarita.

The new campaign launches amidst a rise in the ready-to-drink category and is designed to educate and empower consumers on the quality of the segment. This is brought to life in three creative spots developed by AKQA and directed by Italian artist duo Mathery, "Après Ski," "Beach," and "At-Home Entertaining," each pulling inspiration from the brand's vibrant color palette and brand world - from set design to decor and beyond. The spots highlight key drinking occasions where barriers to easy enjoyment of your favorite cocktail might exist. With just the cracking open of a Cutwater, they unlock and transform the bar experience, while celebrating the brand's years of expertise, consistency and convenience with each sip.

"As the category leader, Cutwater is on a mission to make bar-quality cocktails more accessible by enabling consumers to finally enjoy the cocktail of their choice, whenever, wherever," said Chad Lafeldt, Vice President of Marketing for Cutwater. "In our new 'Open The Bar' campaign, we show that by simply opening one of our 20+ award-winning canned cocktails consumers can enjoy bar-quality cocktails in occasions that were otherwise reserved for other beverages, bringing the best of the bar where they are."

Cutwater understands the importance of crafting canned cocktails with high-quality ingredients and real spirits. Alongside the new campaign, the brand is unveiling a new visual brand design that champions this sentiment while providing more clear graphic cues. The elevated packaging will mirror the quality of its award-winning portfolio to help consumers more easily navigate the spirits-based ready-to-drink category.

Inspired by consumer insights, and designed to keep the brand growing sustainably for years to come, the new packaging features bold colors and illustrations to showcase flavors and cocktail graphics. The ABV is displayed front and center while the amount of shots in each ready-to-drink can is clearly marked. Other design changes include a larger logo for easier recognition on crowded shelves and more simple typography for readability.

"As we continue to focus our efforts, Anheuser-Busch is committed to growing and investing in its Beyond Beer portfolio, with a major emphasis on category leaders like Cutwater. We believe in the power of the ever-evolving ready-to-drink category and are here to help educate consumers on the exciting space while bringing them a best-in-class line-up of offerings," said Monica Mody, Group Vice President of Marketing for Anheuser-Busch's Beyond Beer Business Unit.

Cutwater's new visual brand design and campaign will be rolling out through the spring, living across social channels, connected TV, premium digital video platforms and retail. Consumers can find retailers by searching Where to Buy on CutwaterSpirits.com or by emailing [email protected].

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About Cutwater
Anheuser-Busch-owned Cutwater, the most awarded canned cocktail brand in the U.S., is a San Diego-based distillery known for its award-winning lineup of 20+ canned cocktail classics made from its portfolio of bottled spirits that span nearly every spirits category including tequila, vodka, rum, gin, whiskey and liqueur. Co-Founder and Master Distiller Yuseff Cherney began distilling as a side project under Ballast Point Brewing. He started canning cocktails because he wanted to make drinks he could enjoy while doing the things he likes to do (mostly fishing and hiking). In 2017, Cutwater was established as a separate entity from the brewery and now operates from a 50,000-square-foot distillery and production facility, which includes a world-class tasting room and restaurant. To date, Cutwater has earned over 2,500+ awards across its portfolio of products and is distributed in 48 states. Learn more at www.CutwaterSpirits.com or follow @cutwaterspirits on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

About Anheuser-Busch
At Anheuser-Busch, our purpose is to create a future with more cheers. We are always looking to serve up new ways to meet life's moments, dream big to move our industry forward, and make a meaningful impact in the world. We hope to build a future that everyone can celebrate, and everyone can share. For more than 160 years, Anheuser-Busch has carried on a legacy of brewing great-tasting, high-quality beers that have satisfied beer drinkers for generations. Today, we own and operate more than 120 facilities, including breweries, wholesaler distribution centers, agricultural facilities and packaging plants, and have more than 19,000 colleagues across the United States.

We are home to several of America's most loved beer and beyond beer brands, including Michelob ULTRA, Cutwater Spirits, Stella Artois, Budweiser and Bud Light as well as a number of regional brands that provide beer drinkers with a choice of the best-tasting craft beers in the industry. From responsible drinking programs and emergency drinking water donations to industry-leading sustainability efforts, we are guided by our unwavering commitment to supporting the communities we call home. For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com or follow Anheuser-Busch on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

SOURCE Cutwater