Budweiser Isn't Running Super Bowl Ad. Instead, This

Brand will use marketing dollars to boost COVID vaccine awareness in new digital commercial
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 25, 2021 9:45 AM CST
Updated Jan 30, 2021 7:00 AM CST

One of the commercials people most look forward to on Super Bowl Sunday is the one from Budweiser—but this year, the Anheuser-Busch InBev brand is doing something a little different. Instead of its usual ad during the big game, it will be airing "Bigger Picture" digitally before and during the Super Bowl, dedicated not to pushing its beer, but to highlighting the COVID vaccine. "The thing about America, is we can do anything," the 90-second spot narrated by Parks and Rec actor Rashida Jones begins, showing scenes of people trying to get through the pandemic by sharing a socially distanced drink, waving to each other from apartment windows, and holding drive-by birthday parades. "Together, let's turn our strength into hope."

The ad then segues into showing people getting vaccinated, followed by a message from Budweiser that, for the first time in 37 years, it decided to put its usual Super Bowl advertising budget toward raising awareness for the coronavirus vaccine. In addition to the video, it will be donating a percentage of its 2021 ad budget to the Ad Council and COVID Collaborative's vaccine education initiative. "See you at the game next year," the ad ends. CNBC notes that ads for other AB InBev brands, including Bud Light and Michelob Ultra, will still be shown during the Super Bowl. PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, and Hyundai also won't be running Super Bowl ads for their main brands during the game, per USA Today. The AP dives further into the challenges for companies that have decided to air commercials during the game, including "striking a tone that acknowledges what's happening with the world ... and finding a way to tie it all back to their brand." Watch "Bigger Picture" in full here. (More Budweiser stories.)

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