Budweiser could’ve played it safe for Summer 2019 by running another iteration of “America”, but they briefed us to bring something different to the table. We didn’t need research to tell us about our country’s tense, political polarized climate. So we set our sights on finding an American issue that wasn’t receiving attention, one that had potential for mutual understanding through all demographics. In looking for common ground, we quite literally found our idea - America’s National Parks. By early 2018, park staff funding had been slashed, reserved land was now open for drilling, and protections were removed for multiple parks. The goal became clear. The packaging would become a canvas for stunning illustrations of the parks to remind the nation that this land’s natural beauty was to be protected. To help the parks through these tough times, Budweiser agreed to donate funds to the parks, for every case sold.

We needed an artist that could capture the beauty and wonder of the national parks and encapsulate it all into a simple, refined design. We found a renowned American illustrator who specializes in travel poster scenes. We loved the amount of character, modernity and depth that he fit within scenes, all while preserving clean minimalism and color. As for color, we chose a patriotic palate of Red, White and Blue where the red matched the brand’s classic “Bud Red” tone. Each scene was crafted in a way where we would hero the park’s feature as centerpiece; be it St. Louis’s Archway, Yosemite’s Half Dome, or Thomas Edison’s New Jersey mansion. Those centerpieces would then be counterbalanced by smaller, quieter nature nuances found throughout the portraits: The Coyote roaming in Joshua Tree, birds flying through the Appalachian clouds, or a sailboat cruising past the Cumberland sunset.