Early Giveaway: Anheuser-Busch Bottle Opener

Giveaways go way back, as early as the 17th century when merchants passed out small cards with their name on one side and a map to their location on the other (we’ll share more about that one later). But, more recent history (still only 19th century) Adolphus Busch pioneered giveaways in the beer industry.

Of course in the 19th century the beer industry was just getting started, consolidating from many local brewers to larger companies. But, marketing was also just getting going, and Adolphus figured something out.

He could buy useful bottle openers (at the time, beer bottles used cork), put his company name on it and pass it out as he traveled the country from one town to the next (he even had his own rail car!)

This was igneous at the time. It was inexpensive, yet the perceived value for the user (the beer drinker) was very high. It would always be used in the right environment – the local saloon. And, it was associated with Anheuser-Busch.

There’s more on AB history. But, we thought this was a particularly fun point.