Budweiser 0.0's latest campaign celebrates Lionel Messi’s journey illustrating that greatness is brewed overnights

Budweiser 0.0 pays homage to Lionel Messi with a 360-degree campaign that illustrates his inspirational life journey through artistic murals, special-edition Messi bottles, on-ground and online promotions.

To kick off the campaign, Budweiser 0.0 has launched special-edition custom-designed Lionel Messi bottles, along with a digital film titled ‘Greatness is Brewed Over Nights’, demonstrating that Kings aren’t brewed overnight. This digital film delivers the brand’s ambition to inspire consumers to embrace the effort, sacrifices, and hustle required to pursue their own journey towards greatness and Be a King.

In addition, the brand has unveiled a series of murals at iconic locations in Mumbai and Delhi , offering fans an insider’s perspective into the choices, sacrifices, determination, and hard work that significantly shaped his life and profession. The murals spotlight Messi’s humble beginnings as a 14-year-old boy from Rosario, his 20 years and counting with one club and his ascent to become the ‘King of Football,’ widely respected both on and off the field.

Reflecting on this initiative, Lionel Messi said, “I am delighted with Budweiser's effort to celebrate my journey and bring it alive beautifully, through the artistic murals. It feels surreal to be standing where I am today. Day after day, year after year, it took sacrifice and hard work to reach my dreams. I am grateful to my fans, around the world and in India, who have supported me immensely through every victory and loss. I truly hope that fans can find inspiration in my story, just as they have motivated and encouraged me, to keep chasing my own.”

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To engage the football community in India, Budweiser 0.0 is hosting an exclusive virtual walking tour called ‘The Pilgrimage’ in Mumbai and on-ground in Delhi. Keeping in mind the current COVID-19 situation, the walking tour is facilitated in compliance with stringent safety measures. Patrons will be provided with face masks and sanitizers at regular checkpoints, and social distancing will always be maintained. The tours will be helmed by renowned tastemakers like Sakshi Malik, Priyanka Talukdar, Jake Sitlani, Nisha Yogini, Yukti Arora, among others, who will guide fans through the murals. Upon completion of ‘The Pilgrimage,’ fans stand a chance to watch Messi play live, win exclusive memorabilia, Budweiser Streetwear Co. merchandise, among other exciting giveaways.

Commenting on the efforts, Vineet Sharma, Vice President - Marketing and New Business Development, South Asia, AB InBev said, “Budweiser has a long association with football, and we are extremely proud to launch this campaign to celebrate Lionel Messi’s dedication and commitment to the game. This reflects the same self-belief and relentless focus that has led Budweiser to become one of the most loved brands globally as well as here in India. We are confident that this campaign will inspire fans to craft their own journey to greatness with effort and determination, truly empowering them to ‘Be A King’.”

A unique AR filter will be activated on Instagram that will provide football enthusiasts an engaging visual representation of Messi’s life journey. To further brew the fervor, Budweiser 0.0 has partnered with India's largest online network of creative professionals, Indiefolio, for a month-long challenge to crowdsource digital renditions of artwork that celebrate King Leo.

Conducted on Instagram, select entries will be printed on exclusive Budweiser Messi merchandise, with a certain percentage of the sales garnered through them provided to the artists themselves. To bring the campaign alive and connect with fans locally, the brand is running activations at on-premise and off-premise outlets offering consumers a chance to win specially curated Messi kits.

Budweiser 0.0 is a long-time supporter of the game through multi-year partnerships with La Liga and the Premier League, two of the top internationally-reaching football leagues, along with a roster that includes football greats such as La Liga stars Sergio Ramos and Marcelo.