Originally posted Jan. 27, 2004<br />
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Anheuser-Busch Cos. once again will rule the Super Bowl. <br />
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The St. Louis-based brewer has purchased a total of five minutes of airtime for CBS’ Feb. 1 telecast of Super Bowl XXXVIII, far more than any other company. That and this report from The St. Louis Post Dispatch’s Thomas Lee<br />
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The average price of a 30-second commercial is a record-breaking $2.3 million, according to Advertising Age, a leading trade publication. That means A-B spent approximately $23 million for its Super Bowl dominance. <br />
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The commercials, which focus on Budweiser and Bud Light, will feature a familiar cast of characters, including St. Louis native Cedric the Entertainer and a bumbling football referee. <br />
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One spot that has generated buzz is a 60-second commercial that depicts a donkey who wants to be a Clydesdale horse. The spot is a variation of A-B’s previous Super Bowl commercials in which the Clydesdales play football.<br />
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Read the full story at <a href="http://www.sportsbusinessnews.com/index.asp?story_id=32823"><strong>SBN</strong></a>
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