Whether you’re a football purist, you’re just in it for the beer and buffalo dip, or—like me—you CANNOT miss the halftime show and star-studded commercials, there’s really something for everyone watching the big game on Sunday. But at Resonate, we’re always watching brand ads to see if they align with today’s audience. So, let’s let the data do the talking, shall we?
Data-Backing 3 Anheuser-Busch Commercials
You’d think four minutes of airtime isn’t much, but when we’re talking about Sunday sports-level ad dollars, it’s game time, baby. According to Adweek, Anheuser-Busch will use its 4 minutes to showcase 6 of its brands—3 of which we’ll be dissecting in today’s blog.
Budweiser:
You may or may not remember this, but 2021 was the first time in decades that Budweiser did not put out a commercial during the big game. Well, not only is the iconic beer brand back, but so is its staple Clydesdale! The 60-second commercial has zero dialogue but manages to visually touch on themes of resilience and perseverance with ease.
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When I looked at domestic premium beer drinkers who will be tuning into the Big Game in the Resonate Ignite Platform, I went straight to the Personal Values Report for this commercial. What I found didn’t really surprise me. The top three values of this audience are:
- Dependability: Life is about being a reliable and trustworthy friend.
- Reputation: Emphasis on preserving a public image and avoiding dishonor.
- Safety: Emphasis on the preservation of their own safety; more likely to seek harmony and stability
This commercial absolutely nails all three of this audience’s personal values in unique ways. When we see the Clydesdale get injured and fall, it hits on the value of personal safety, the adorable and loyal dog who accompanies the Clydesdale all through recovery hits on the value of dependability, and then there was the final text on the screen that I think really hits on reputation and honor: “In the home of the brave, down never means out.”
Kudos to Budweiser!
Bud Light Next
New to the market and the big Sunday game screen is Bud Light Next, the first zero-carb beer from Anheuser-Busch. The 45-second spot focuses on building a better future, with scenes alluding to the metaverse and NFTs. Bud Light’s VP of Marketing said the commercial will “pay tribute to those who are pushing boundaries and redefining the world around us every day.”
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Since this futuristic ad is geared towards younger viewers, I carved out a smaller segment from the audience above, sticking with Big Game watchers who drink domestic premium beer and are of the ages 18-34. Surprise, surprise, their top three values are quite different:
- Achievement: Ambitiousness and determination may be distinguishing attributes. Life is about getting ahead, “winning,” and impressing others.
- Influence: More likely to accumulate wealth, and the status and power that comes from money and material possessions. Life is about money and social status.
- Stimulation: Seeks new and thrilling experiences and is more likely to take risks to achieve those experiences. Life is an adventure consisting of novel, stimulating, and surprising challenges and experiences.
So, did they nail it, or did they nail it? Not only do we see the need for stimulation in the first three seconds of the commercial (and song choice), but we see influence and achievement values weaved strategically throughout the ad in subtle ways—from the guitar player to the museum NFT.
Michelob Ultra
Last but not least, there’s this star-studded commercial for Michelob Ultra. We always expect great ad cameos during the big game, and this commercial did not disappoint. Set in a bowling alley we see the likes of Peyton Manning, Steve Buscemi, Alex Morgan, Nneka Ogwumike, Brooks Koepka, and Jimmy Butler in less than a minute. But the real mic drop moment in part 1 of this 3-part commercial series is when Serena Williams walks in ready to bowl.
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While it’s a bit less idealistic than the other commercials on our list, we believe Michelob Ultra nailed it with their audience’s pastimes. Their top three hobbies include happy hour and watching sports, and that’s exactly what this commercial delivers.
Insights-Driven Ads, Powered by Data? Touchdown.
Americans’ media diets, preferences, and sentiments are always changing. Deep, dynamic data like the above is crucial to keeping up with always-evolving consumers. The Resonate Ignite Platform reveals 14,000+ real-time insights on your desired audience – down to their behaviors, motivations, values, and anxieties. Whether you’re a big CPG company or any brand or agency looking for fresher, more personalized data that helps you connect with your audience, we can help.
