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Messi to appear in Michelob Ultra Superbowl advert
Inter Miami star and world-renowned footballer Lionel Messi is due to appear on a prime-time advert for Michelob Ultra during the Superbowl.
The American Football event, which is the biggest showpiece sporting occasion in the US, often sees firms battle for exclusive advertising space after each quarter of play, and around the equally popular half-time show.
The brand announced the move yesterday, with Messi starring in the 60-second advert.
A teaser offers a glimpse of Messi casually ordering a beer at a beachside bar with two friends in floral print shirts, but the tap runs dry half way through the pour and is followed by the caption “Don’t run out, order now”.
The Superbowl is due to take place on 11 February, and the advert provides an opportunity for a soccer star to take centre stage during the event. It aims to further improve the game’s footprint in the US, where despite a rise in popularity it still lags behind the level of American Football.
Speaking about the move, Ricardo Marques, Ultra’s vice president of marketing, said in an interview with The Associated Press, “Having the GOAT himself, Lionel Messi, and the Super Bowl as a stage to kick it all off and start the year with a bang, that gets us incredibly fired up.
“”Messi needs no introduction. The power that he has, the impact that he had upon his arrival in Miami, in the world of football and beyond, he’s clearly a cultural icon right now.”
Partnership
Last year, Messi become a brand ambassador for AB InBev’s new Michelob Ultra contract with CONMEBOL (Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol), after he began his original association with the product in 2020.
Prior to being linked to beer, Messi was unsurprisingly associated with wine, as he comes from the Mendoza region. In 2012, a wine called “Leo” was launched by Bodega Valentin Bianchi.
According to the Mendoza-based winery, the project was carried out in cooperation with the Leo Messi Foundation, with the profits being diverted to charitable causes.