'This Bud's For You' Labor Day Can Celebrates the Hard Workers of America Personally

Four decades ago, about one in five Americans belonged to a labor union. Since then, the rate of membership has steadily declined to 10.8 percent. Nevertheless, the first Monday of every September honors and recognizes the contributions of the American labor movement in the United States.

One common trope of the blue-collar working folk is a fondness for tipping back affordable session lagers, often made by fellow union card carriers. This year, brewer Budweiser celebrates that connection to labor with a specially designed can label for a select few winners of a social media promotion. Bud fans nominate a hard worker in their life, and winners receive a personalized can and three months' salary. The contest is in partnership with Upwork, a freelance marketplace, and Deuce Studio designed the cans, promotional campaign, and sweepstakes.

Deuce is the winner of the first Upwork CoLab brand partnership program, where freelancers get a stab at working with bigger brands like Budweiser.

The Labor Day labels don’t stray too far from the standard white and red iconic Budweiser design. Instead, the center features an exquisitely executed “This Bud’s for You,” a placeholder underneath where the winner’s name will go, and the AB in the seal gets replaced with a crowned and raised pint of beer. Along the bottom is an expression of gratitude for the winner’s hard work and dedication.

“These unique Labor Day cans represent the immense respect and admiration Budweiser has for workers in America. As we gather around the country to celebrate this weekend, we wanted to do the same by recognizing many of their contributions,” Marisa Seigel, head of marketing for Budweiser, Anheuser-Busch, said via press release. “The team at Deuce really impressed us with their interpretation of our brief, and these designs demonstrate a new take for Bud around Labor Day celebrations. Our collaboration with Upwork helps us bring a fresh perspective to a popular drinking holiday where many are gathering over a beer with family and friends.”

It might seem incongruent to team up with a freelance marketplace for a Labor Day promotion, but many of today’s hardest working people in the country, i.e., Amazon warehouse clerks, rideshare drivers, fast-food workers, are not only non-union, but sometimes they are also independent contractors with none of the safeguards that organized labor fought for. But hard work is hard work, even if it comes without nice things like overtime, paid breaks, safe working conditions, health insurance, and pensions.