No Longer Untapped: Anheuser-Busch uses Asian nightlife promoters to market to young Asian Americans
July 2, 2008
The Asian market is a marketer’s dream,” said Jason Pak, senior director, Asian marketing, Anheuser-Busch Inc.
Asian professionals are a lucrative and desirable market for a number of reasons, Pak said. “The Asian American population in the U.S. has seen a significant growth over the past decade,” he said. “In addition, Asian Americans have a strong and growing purchasing power, are highly educated, and have a higher median household income compared to other races.”
To tap into this market, specifically in the bustling San Francisco nightlife scene, which is filled with hundreds of young Asian professionals each week, Anheuser-Busch began partnering with Jay Chen, 31, and his Bay Area Asian promotion groups in January.
Chen is the founder and partner of various groups, including VisionShockSF, Beyond, Century, Tribeca, Level 7, Sirens and Adrenaline. The young entrepreneur, who also owns several Internet outlets that sell electronics and gift items, said that, through his collaboration with Anheuser-Busch, he and his fellow club promoters have learned new techniques of product branding and marketing. They promote the Anheuser-Busch brand at their events by providing customized VIP bracelets to club goers as they enter, special product sampling stations and prominent brand specific lighting displays.
“Anheuser-Busch is the number one beer manufacturer in the United States — we wanted to partner with the best to learn from the best,” said Chen, whose promotion groups host approximately 12 events a month with attendance ranging from 300 to 2,000. “Through our partnership, we’ve gained professional recognition and have been able to network with some of the biggest alcohol distributors and venue operators in the Bay Area.”
Chen’s promotion groups also host events such as speed-dating opportunities and travel-related adventures through a partnership with MyLifeFuel.com. It is through their networking and socializing events that they have established a steady and loyal customer base, which partnering corporations such as Anheuser-Busch can leverage off of and use to promote their product, Chen said.
Les Tso, a veteran in the beverage industry and a current Coors employee, said Anheuser-Busch is a good example of a corporation that is using Asian Americans to outreach to the Asian American market.
“Traditionally, that has been the way to really tap into the ethnic communities. In rare instances, you may have someone who can transcend cultural and social differences, but generally, ‘ambassadors’ from within the community are best,” Tso said. “They are more aware of any differences and nuances and provide more credibility.”
Tso sees a huge opportunity with the Asian American market and its young professionals in the San Francisco clubbing scene, which he said is “very organized.”
“Let’s face it — young Asians love to party, love to drink, spend time with their friends and meet members of the other gender,” Tso declared matter-of-factly. “What’s attractive is their higher overall income level, coupled with their willingness to spend ‘entertainment’ dollars.”
“It really saddens me when I compare how much Anheuser-Busch does with the Asian community versus how little Coors does, but I want to help correct that,” said Tso, who has been working with Tracy Neal, Coors general manager for Northern California and Hawai‘i, to invest dollars into promoting to the Asian community. “The alcohol industry is really missing the boat here. Other than Anheuser-Busch and some Asian beers, who targets this demographic?”
Comments
6 Responses to “No Longer Untapped: Anheuser-Busch uses Asian nightlife promoters to market to young Asian Americans”
Got something to say?
Indeed, everything said in this article is true. Also, it’s about time that companies like Anheuser-Busch are finally acknowledging and using Asians in their ad campaigns, but at whose expense? In the end the companies will get the $$$$ and the Asians will get the liver cancer, DUIs, and trips to AA. Let’s not prey on each other for the white man’s benefit. Use Asians in the media responsibly.
Budweiser sucks! The only reason we drink it is cause they give it away free all night. Asians don’t drink beer! We drink shots.
I’ve been to a few of these AB beer parties at Tabu. It’s awesome! Hot girls giving away free beer - can you ask for anything else?
I think Linda’s comment about the “white man’s benefit” is sophomoric at best. What makes Asians so special such that alcohol targeted marketing is beneath us? Are Asians supposed to live up to some angelic stereotype and typecast as the quintessential wimpy nerd in media? Maybe you should visit your own country and peep how prolific “vice” marketing is in Asia.
Oh, and Esther - of course Asians drink beer…haven’t you heard of Tsingtao, San Mig and Tiger Beer? Do you think that Belvedere, Grey Goose and Crown are Asian companies?
Dearest Linda & Esther
& Chuck Lam:
Ah, at long last, a subject and a peg on which to hang irrelevant and irreligious musings, to wit:
Linda: Buddweiser did NOT invent liver damage or driving citations OR anonymity, as with some alcoholics, or druggies, or even gamers. Gamblers?
And Esther, you’re a better “man” than I can ever hope to be. That is, “shots”? Wow. How many can you ingest, consume, before you pass out. On or off the sofa.
That said, Chuck, you rascal, free bierskis and hot chicks simultaneously. Hope you can handle BOTH.
Now, the real reason for this diatribe has naujght to do with demon rum OR galloping gonads and their opposites, marauding maenads.
It has to do with simple “living,” as in paying the rent and buying the groceries and loving our loved ones.
On those latter counts, neither Bud nor Tsingtao nor home-brew, as in bathtub gin or even Ng Ga Pei, what counts is what is ongoing OUT THERE.
In the youtubes and theirtubes and nomanslands of POLITICS.
In the Beltway. And on the hustings.
THERE, today’s, as ever, oxymoronic, accent on the moron, headlines proclaim that “our” “Joint Chief of Staffs,: one Adm. Mullen, has adjured the neocon/IDF axis NOT to nuke Iran. Another proclaims Obama’s “rethinking” and sticking fast to avowed stances on “withdrawal” from Iraq.
Then, there’s the Colombian thesis that the “freeing” a trio of hostages has mortally wounded FARC. Not. No way an entire “people’s” cause can be countermanded by the “freeing” of three individuals, whomever they may be.
And, Gods forebid, BOTH Dubya AND Sarkocy propose to “attend” the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics.
Take that, Nancy.
All of which makes me indecisive. Whether to laugh or cry. Or both, as the case may be.
But, guys, all three of you, your “concerns” herein are scarcely worth registering, next to the likes of dubyous doin’s and belligerent bullyings.
Also, please tell all those wannabe APArrivistes online that NO ONE, I repeat, no one of any maturity or dignity or self-respect give’s a tinker’s dam, a howling hoot, a whodat and whynot about their droolings and drivellings anent 18-buck drinks and “high-end” grovellings.
Frank Eng
P.S.: Oh, and don’t underestimate the glories and gourmandizings of simple red table wines, whites as well, never mind your livers. Just take milk thistle.
At the end of the day, don’t market tobacco, alcohol, and casino. I will get my Tiger Beer and Tsingtao on my own.