WATCH: From Budweiser to Michelob Ultra, the big beverage brands at Super Bowl LVIII
This year’s matchup is between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs, to be held for the first time in Las Vegas on Sunday, February 11. The halftime performance by Usher is expected to be a drawcard in itself.
According to Kantar estimates, companies spent almost $450m on in-game advertising during the Big Game in 2021.
The average cost this year for a 30-second ad is a cool $7m. But that buys a spot that goes out to some 200.5 million Americans (that's around 60% of the US population).
From Super Bowl stalwart Bud Light to newcomer BODYARMOR, here's some of the beverage commercials this year.
Michelob Ultra: 'Superior Beach'
Michelob Ultra’s TVC wants to remind fans ‘you don’t have to choose between an active and a social life’.
'Superior Beach', this year’s 60-second spot, stars global soccer icon Lionel Messi in his first-ever Super Bowl commercial appearance alongside Emmy award-winning actor Jason Sudeikis and NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino.
The fun-filled spot follows the sports and entertainment legends enjoying an impromptu game of pick-up soccer on a South Florida beach.
The 'Superior Beach' spot will be the first alcoholic beverage advertiser in the game and Michelob ULTRA’s ninth consecutive Super Bowl appearance.
Michelob ULTRA's Super Bowl commercial was directed by Adam Berg and created by Wieden + Kennedy New York.
Meanwhile, Michelob ULTRA will once again return to Topgolf to create an experience for fans on the ground in Las Vegas. The Michelob ULTRA Country Club powered by TCL will be a night full of entertainment, sports, and culture.
On Saturday, February 10, Michelob ULTRA is hosting ‘the hottest party in Las Vegas’, providing guests with an exclusive night of golf and music in the country's largest Topgolf. The night will feature performances and appearances by some of the biggest stars in sports and entertainment, including Lil Wayne, T-Pain, and Alesso and will be hosted by Alex Morgan and Dan Marino.
BODYARMOR: Field of Fake
Coca-Cola’s BODYARMOR Sports Drink will make its SuperBowl debut as it airs its latest TV spot ‘Field of Fake’ for the first time on television during the Big Game on February 11.
Featuring BODYARMOR superstar athlete partners Christian McCaffrey, CeeDee Lamb, Joe Burrow, Alex Morgan, Ronald Acuna and Connor McDavid, the 30-second spot pokes lighthearted fun at artificial intelligence (A.I.) and takes a jab at competitors all in one fell swoop.
'Field of Fake' is designed to underscore the brand’s ‘real hydration, real flavors and real ingredients’.
“We were marveling at how pervasive AI is becoming as part of our daily lives, and discussing its role in sports, specifically,” explained Kristen Rumble, VP, Brand Strategy and Creative at BODYARMOR.
“We quickly came to the collective realization that there is no substitute for real – especially in sports. That’s the conviction BODYARMOR was built on, so it was fertile ground for campaign development.”
Led by the BODYARMOR creative team in collaboration with Full Contact Advertising, the spot will go live on Sunday, February 11 in 20+ key cities across the US, nationally in Canada, and will have dedicated Spanish programming on Univision. 'Field of Fake' will be amplified on digital, social and programmatic.
In addition to the spot, BODYARMOR will have a presence during 'Barstool Super Bowl Week Takeover' and other onsite activations in Las Vegas.
Budweiser: 'Old School Delivery'
Budweiser turns to nostalgia for its Super Bowl LVIII spot, ‘Old School Delivery’.
Directed by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker and Emmy Award-winning commercial director Alex Henry Rubin, the spot stars the Budweiser Clydesdales in their 46th Super Bowl appearance, accompanied by the fan-favorite Labrador from the 'Puppy Love' era in 2014. It also features Fred Dana, a real Budweiser wholesaler.
'Old School Delivery' captures the brand’s commitment to delivering for its consumers – since 1876 – and bringing people together over a beer. The piece tells the story of a small town struck by a snowstorm and the 'resilience and determination of Budweiser and the Clydesdales to show up in moments that matter for their consumers'. When obstacles arise, the 'old school' solutions prove to be the best.
To bring the concept of old-school deliveries to life, the Budweiser Clydesdales will be making deliveries across Las Vegas leading up to the game. Budweiser is activating on Sphere in Las Vegas with content tied to Budweiser’s Super Bowl spot, playing on the exterior (the Exosphere) all week long and featuring a snowy landscape with the iconic Budweiser Clydesdale hitch running across.
MTN DEW Baja Blast: 20th anniversary celebrations
MTN DEW Baja Blast has teamed up with actor Aubrey Plaza for its Super Bowl LVIII appearance: which also marks the brand's 20th 'Bajaversary'.
In the spot, MTN DEW BAJA BLAST and Aubrey Plaza will show fans that ‘having a blast can be as simple as enjoying a refreshing MTN DEW BAJA BLAST anytime, anywhere’.
Aubrey’s former co-star, actor Nick Offerman, also makes a cameo appearance. Fans can catch the 30-second commercial reveal during the first quarter.
"MTN DEW BAJA BLAST has cemented its place as a fan-favorite flavor in pop culture and as a staple in countless Taco Bell orders, so we knew we had to celebrate its 20th anniversary in a big way," said JP Bittencourt, vice president of Marketing at MTN DEW. "Nothing's better than giving fans what they've asked for, with a few additional surprises to keep the celebration going all year long."
Miller Lite: Beer runners
This year, Miller Lite isn’t running an official ad in the Big Game: instead it’s running a thousand by inviting Miller Lite fans to become literal beer ads during the game.
While fans won’t actually be on the television screen, Miller Lite is putting QR codes on Miller Lite fans in the form of jerseys to wear as they run, maybe to get a Miller Lite for themselves or their friends during the Big Game commercial breaks, making them a literal running beer ad.
The first 1,000 fans to sign up have been prepped with a Big Game Ad kit and an official Miller Game Time Jersey.
Miller Lite has partnered with actor, comedian, football enthusiast and Miller Lite fan Rob Riggle to be its lead beer runner.
STōK: Inner Dragon
STōK Cold Brew Coffee is on a mission to ‘shamelessly challenge traditional American football culture’.
As the official stadium sponsor of Welsh soccer team Wrexham AFC, owned by Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, STōK Cold Brew Coffee is bringing the hype of football (or soccer) to America's biggest sports stage.
In a new spot created by Ryan Reynolds' Maximum Effort in collaboration with Danone Internal Agency, Harvest Creative, STōK reveals it isn't just the sponsor of Wrexham AFC's stadium, The STōK Cae Ras, it's also the cold brew coffee that fuels the team mascot, Wrex the Dragon, played by world-renowned Welsh actor, Sir Anthony Hopkins. Brewed low and slow for an especially bold and smooth taste, a glass of STōK helps Hopkins unleash his inner dragon and hype up Wrexham AFC fans as the face behind their beloved team mascot.
"People are used to seeing brew commercials during the Big Game, but I don't think they expect it to be cold brew, let alone a cold brew coffee brand celebrating a Welsh soccer team," said Brittney Polka, vice president of Ready-to-Drink Beverages at Danone North America and lead for STōK Cold Brew Coffee.
"STōK isn't afraid to make bold moves and challenge the norms of traditional marketing. Partnering with Sir Anthony Hopkins to bring Wrexham AFC to [American] football's biggest stage is exactly the kind of bold act fans have come to expect from STōK."
PepsiCo’s STARRY soda: ‘It’s Time To See Other Sodas’
PepsiCo’s latest soda creation, STARRY, is heading to the Super Bowl with its first-ever Super Bowl commercial, starring Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling hip hop star, Ice Spice.
Also making her Big Game debut, Ice Spice links up with STARRY mascots, Lem and Lime, to show fans why 'It's Time To See Other Sodas' and break-up with those tired lemon lime sodas.
STARRY was launched in January 2023 as a ‘crisp, clear and refreshing new option that consumers love’, becoming the third largest lemon lime player nationwide.
"Ice Spice is influencing hip hop by bringing a new signature style to the industry," said Michael Smith, head of STARRY Brand Marketing. "Similarly, STARRY is providing a refreshing burst of crisp, clear lemon lime flavor to a category that's had limited options until now. Fans will see these two come together to make a splash on the big screen Super Bowl Sunday."
"It's Time To See Other Sodas" campaign will debut during sports' biggest stages with the first commercial airing during Super Bowl LVIII between the first and second quarter, and the second during 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend.
Bud Light: ‘Easy Night Out'
Bud Light's commercial this year features an A-list cast with Post Malone, Peyton Manning, Dana White and the introduction of the 'Bud Light Genie'.
The spot follows a group of friends who unleash the Genie, a new friend of the brand, who grands wishes to turn a basic night out into a series of epic adventures.
