Building on the memorable/annoying ‘Dilly Dilly’ catchphrase introduced during its Super Bowl campaign earlier in the year, Bud Light continues its tactics of leveraging the line through sports events by sending 1,000 shirts and caps bearing the catchphrase to Augusta for the 2018 Masters.
The Masters banned yelling “Dilly Dilly” so @budlight quickly produced these hats for fans who must show of the realm. pic.twitter.com/lNc115Xl0e
— Darren Heitner (@DarrenHeitner) April 7, 2018
But in response, the famously controlling custodians of the Augusta National Golf Club apparently banned the marketing slogan from the tournament.
According to UK golf magazine Bunkered, whose reporter Bryce Ritchie broke a story that amongst the list of phrases that will get spectators ejected immediately from the tournament was Bud Light’s ‘Dilly Dilly’ ditty.
Just been told security staff at Augusta National have been handed a sheet with a list of sayings that are prohibited. I'm told "dilly dilly" is one of them. Patrons who shout out these phrases will be "removed" immediately. #themasters
— Bryce Ritchie (@Bryce_bunkered) April 2, 2018
Sensing a marketing opportunity, or perhaps deliberately creating one, Bud Light’s medieval monarch and his social media marketers are royally offended by this golfing decree and aren’t backing down from the tournament challenge.
Indeed, using its social media channels, Bud Light tweeted out a response from its fictional king (who, it seems, his called King John Barley IV).
This Twitter proclamation says:
“Your king hath received word that the guards of the Green Jacket plan to escort any patron who dare utter Dilly Dilly off yon premises. Except for myself, I am against tyranny in all forms. So I have instructed my royal tailors to make 1,000 Dilly Dilly shirts that shall be delivered to Georgia in time for the festivities. For if thou cannot say Dilly Dilly, thou can still wear Dilly Dilly. Yours in friendship and beer, King John Barley IV.”
Our King weighs in on the Dilly Dilly ban. pic.twitter.com/rVxrD5dsNf
— Bud Light (@budlight) April 3, 2018
Comment:
Fake news? Perhaps?
(After all, this story did emerge on 2 April.)
Smart ambush activity? Definitely!
Bud Light’s creative agency, Wieden + Kennedy New York, initially introduced the now familiar phrase in late 2017 and i9t formed the centrepiece of the official NFL beer brand’s multi-platform medieval Super Bowl marketing initiative
and follow-up creative pieces.
Since then it has gained some traction as a celebratory phrase yelled out at social and sporting events across the USA.
Not entirely dissimilar slogan strategy from sister brand Budweiser’s famous and award winning ‘Whassup’ catchphrase campaigns back in the mid 2000s.
Links:
Bud Light
https://www.youtube.com/user/officialbudlight
