• by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, September 15, 2014

Whether you’re kicking back with your friends and watching the game, carousing with your Viking buddies in a 9th century mead hall, or preparing the deceased Pharaoh for the afterlife, nothing says “good times” like giving someone the gift of beer. Now there’s a new way to share beer with friends through the magic of social media.

Anheuser-Busch is testing a pilot program that allows Facebook users in Denver and Chicago (and eventually other cities) to send free Budweiser beer to their Facebook friends. There are two components to the pilot: as its name suggests, Bud Light Birthday lets you bestow a Bud Light to someone on their birthday via prompts integrated into their news feed along with the birthday announcement. Meanwhile Buds for Buds lets you help your friends celebrate other special occasion with a free brew. The program sends an online voucher to the intended recipient, which they can redeem at a local bar or restaurant (after showing their ID, of course).

The pilot programs were developed by Anheuser-Busch in partnership with AKQA and Facebook’s Creative Shop. Fulfillment is being handled by Gratafy with technology enabling mobile redemption at participating merchants.

Lucas Herscovici, Anheuser-Busch vice president of consumer connections, explained: “Beer is the original social network. This new campaign focuses not on a gift certificate or credit, but on bringing people together to celebrate life's most anticipated moments.”

Indeed, beer and social media just seem to go together. Last year Budweiser Brazil produced an interesting marketing stunt, the “Buddy Cup,” which incorporates a microchip and QR code to let you Facebook friend someone simply by bumping glasses with them. Budweiser developed the clever device with advertising agency Agencia Africa and design firm Bolha.