Budweiser is turning to modern technology to emphasize a piece of its past.
The company is unveiling a bow tie shaped can that will mirror the brand's longtime bow tie logo. The can will be available in eight-packs nationwide beginning May 6 and is the result of several years of technological advancements and investments at the breweries can-making facility in Newburgh, N.Y.
"We explored various shapes that would be distinguishable in the marketplace but also viable from an engineering standpoint," said Pat McGauley, vice president of innovation for Anheuser-Busch. "Aluminum can be stretched only about 10 percent without fracturing, which requires that the angles of the bow tie be very precise."
Budweiser officials say creating the can requires a 16-step process—10 steps to form the bottom part of the can and the rest to form the top.
While the new design is the result of technological innovation, it is ultimately the result of consumer research.