Budweiser runs a REAL beer ad

The one Anheuser-Busch SuperBowl commercial that had not been released prior to the start of the game was, hands down, the best beer commercial the brewer has aired for its heritage brand in at least a decade. Maybe two.

If you missed it in the third quarter, take a look…

It’s big. Noisy. Ballsy. After so many years of “soft” generic beer advertising (“Grab some Buds”), this is hard advertising, and not just because it asserts the beer is “brewed the hard way”. This ad sells the distinctiveness of the King of Beers. It is unapologetically designed to sell what it proclaims is “Proudly a Macro Beer.”

Maybe most satisfying of all, the ad positions Budweiser relative to the craft-beer darlings who’ve been on an unending and unchallenged ride…. until now.No longer are craft beers granted an open playing field, unchallenged, almost deferred to. This is what competition is all about, and the whining across social media tells you the craft beer hipsters don’t like it one bit. Tough.

The Budweiser selling copy boastfully nails what’s unique, different, and distinctive about the beer and the brand. In other words, it lays out the reasons to choose Budweiser. This is what solid advertising does.

Recognizing that craft beer nerds are NOT “Budweiser guys” is clever positioning

“It’s brewed for a crisp smooth finish… the only beer beechwood-aged since 1876.”

“There’s only one Budweiser.”

And another shot at craft-beer in case you missed the first one.

“It’s brewed for drinking, not dissecting.”

Finally, a celebratory finish that lets you know there is real pride in Budweiser. No more attempts to look or sound like craft beers. No more seeming to apologize for being big.

“The people who drink our beer are people who like to drink beer… brewed the hard way.”

“We’ll be brewing us some golden suds.”

“This is the famous Budweiser beer.”

And at the very end, a reminder of the glory this brand has known, and may well know again…

Well done, Budweiser. Keep it up.

Now, lose the puppies, and get to work on real advertising for Bud Light.