Budweiser Benched For Super Bowl LV

According to Variety Anheuser-Busch InBev’s flagship Budweiser will be benched at Super Bowl LV for the first time in 37 years. That right, no regal Clydesdales transporting Budweiser through the snow, no cute little doggies looking longingly out of frosty windows, no “typical Americans,” the “King of Beers” is sitting this Super Bowl out.

It’s important to note that beverage giant will be showcasing a whole bevy of products at this year’s game just not Budweiser.

Bud Light, Bud Light Seltzer Lemonade, Michelob Ultra, and Michelob Ultra Organic Seltzer, are all being showcased at Super Bowl LV and in select markets they’ll also be running local ads for Stella Artois and Cutwater Sprits. So it’s not like the world’s #1 brewer has suddenly gotten shy about spending money.

In fact according to market firm Kantar, AB InBev has purchased the same amount of advertising space as it did last year. Over the last five Super Bowl broadcasts Anheuser-Busch’s spending accounted for 10% of the event’s overall ad revenue and according to Kantar, it spent an estimated $41 million during last year’s game.

So this year’s Super Bowl spend will be similar, what’s not similar is the total absence of any Budweiser advertising.

In lieu  of running a sentimental Super Bowl spot, Budweiser is releasing a 90-second ad it intends to run on digital outlets, calling attention to COVID-19 vaccination efforts, which although admirable, is difficult to get sentimental about…just sayin’.

The digital only commercial, entitled “Bigger Picture,” was created by David, a Miami agency which has worked with Budweiser in recent Super Bowls, and it basically promotes getting a vaccination, not its once best-selling beer.

“Like everyone else, we are eager to get people back together, reopen restaurants and bars, and be able to gather to cheers with friends and family,” said Monica Rustgi, VP of Marketing at Budweiser.

 “To do this, and to bring consumers back into neighborhood bars and restaurants that were hit exceptionally hard by the pandemic, we’re stepping in to support critical awareness of the COVID-19 vaccine.”

“That’s why Budweiser has joined together with long-time partner the Ad Council, along with COVID Collaborative, to donate airtime to increase awareness and education surrounding the vaccine.”