The Super Bowl® commercials have always been at least as popular as the game. People who don’t really watch football (I usually get bored around the 3rd period) watch the biggest game of the year so they can see what the ad wizards have come up with for $6 million dollars a minute (actual guesstimated rate).
But has the target audience for the big game changed so much that beer companies have all but given up trying to find their demographic on that day? Amidst commercials for anti-abortion advocacy organization Focus (approved) and gay-dating website Mancrunch (not approved) one single beer company — Anheuser-Busch InBev — has signed on for Super Bowl Sunday.
The field has changed for the Super Bowl ads… don’t expect to see a lot of the big names you’re used to. FedEx, GM, Pepsi and MasterCard to name a few, are all taking breaks this year. Still, an abundance of automobile ads will fill the screen, with commercials from Volkswagon, Chrysler, Audi and several others; phone, tech and food seem popular with Motorola, Intel and a particular Snicker’s ad with Abe Vigoda that I’d like to see; and internet service ads from stalwarts Go Daddy, E-Trade and Monster. Also of note, newcomer HomeAway will team up Chevy Chase and Beveryly D’Angelo to reprise their Vacation roles, and older than death Coca-Cola teams with older than death C. Montegomery Burns for ads that I will anticipate all afternoon, only to tongue cluck after finally seeing.
But what of beer? Anheuser-Busch InBev, Super Bowl sponsor sans-InBev for as long as I can remember–and also this year’s biggest advertiser–will be showing 5 minutes worth of ads. Most of the time is going to it’s lighter brands such as Bud Light, Select 55 and Michelob Ultra. The Belgian-owned company has also decided last minute to include the iconic Clydesdales after receiving negative feedback.
A few horses and a new slogan for Bud Light (I don’t want to spoil the surprise by listing it here)… that’s it beer fans. You’ll get a new line of soap from Dove and Dockers khaki pants and you’ll like it. The game better be good.
Information from AdAge and other sources.
this is truely a shame. no sarcasm. i can remember as a kid seeing thise beer commercials. say what you will, i’m a functioning productive member of society. they didn’t have a negative effect. just left fond memories. i’d hate to see that disappear. but america is changing so much lately. who the hell knows.