2024 Budweiser Friendship Survey reveals
growing friendship recession and cycle of excuses that nearly half
of friends contribute to
TORONTO, Oct. 3, 2024
/CNW/ - As an official beer of the NHL® in Canada, Budweiser is releasing its second
annual Budweiser Friendship Survey, conducted by Ipsos (2024)*, to
shine light on the growing friendship recession and remind fans to
get together over a bud this upcoming season. Fresh off the ice,
the data shows 75 per cent of men are seeing their friends less, up
6 per cent from last year and only 8 per cent get together more
than once a week – a 6 percentage point decrease from
2023.
In an effort to understand why hangouts are on the decline,
Budweiser has identified a revealing trend. Friends aren't just
skipping plans, they're making up reasons not to, with nearly half
(48 per cent) admitting to cancelling based on excuses that are
partly or entirely made up.
The Cycle of Excuses
From unusual claims like "cows blocking the roads" to every day
barriers, the 2024 Budweiser Friendship Survey uncovers the many
ways friends are bailing on plans. No matter the reason, what's
clear is that a majority are caught up in the growing cycle of
excuses. The survey shows:
- 75 per cent have been on the receiving end of
cancellations.
- Over a third (32 per cent) say work obligations and physical
distance (43 per cent) have become a barrier to getting
together.
Hockey: The Perfect Excuse to Reconnect
To mend the friendship recession, Budweiser is encouraging
Canadians to "make time for hockey, not excuses," a campaign
designed to call buds out for bailing on their friends and bring
them back together during hockey season. Since over a third of
friends admit they've cancelled other plans to watch a game (35 per
cent) and the love of the sport brings buds together, hockey is the
perfect excuse to reconnect.
"As the number one beer in Canada partnering with the number one sport in
Canada, we revisted our Budweiser
Friendship Survey to uncover how the friendship recession has
evolved. In response, we're taking a stand against the growing
trend of friends bailing on each other," said Pat Heembrock, Marketing Director, Budweiser
Canada. "Through our multiyear Canadian partnership with the NHL,
we're encouraging hockey fans to call out their friends for bailing
and reconnect with their buds over puck drop, because that's what
buds do."
For those still considering bailing, nearly 1 in 4 (23 per cent)
say they'd be far less likely to if their friends called them out
publicly, a truth Budweiser is putting to the test. To hold friends
accountable and ensure they think twice before cancelling,
Canadians can now submit the most outrageous excuses they're
received for a chance to be displayed on national television in
Canada via the NHL's Digitally
Enhanced Dasherboards (DEDs) and on out of home "bail boards"
throughout major Canadian cities.
Excuses can be submitted by
visiting maketimeforhockey.ca.
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the NHL and its teams. © NHL 2024. All Rights
Reserved.
About Budweiser Canada
Budweiser – the King of Beers – has been brewed since 1876 under
the highest quality standards. Brewed in Canada for more than
35 years, Budweiser uses only the finest ingredients without any
artificial ingredients, additives or preservatives. Budweiser is
distinguished by its clean, crisp, distinctive flavour, the result
of a unique beechwood aging process. As the perception of no- and
low-alcohol beer evolves and the category continues to grow, the
iconic Budweiser now also offers a new beer to meet consumers'
ever-changing preferences: Budweiser Zero.
Survey Methodology
These are the findings of an Ipsos poll of n = 2000 Canadian men
and women conducted online from September
10th – 24th, 2024. The results are considered accurate to
within +/- 3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
SOURCE Labatt Breweries of Canada