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Anheuser-Busch’s Super Bowl spot calls out small breweries again

A year later, beer drinkers still remember Anheuser-Busch’s Super Bowl spot from 2015. The spot, called “Brewed the Hard Way“, was a direct shot a the surging craft beer market.

Two things still stick out from that advert. The first is the most glaringly obvious. Almost that very same week, A-B InBev had struck a deal acquiring craft brewery Elysian Brewing based in Seattle, Washington. The 60 second spot featured a stereotypical looking hipster sipping a beer, with the words flashing on the screen – “Let them sip their peach pumpkin ales”. Funny thing, A-B’s newest member of the family had a peach pumpkin ale in their arsenal. Anheuser-Busch technically owned a peach pumpkin ale at the time.

2016 brings a continuation of last year’s ad, at least in tone. The world’s largest brewery is running another “Proud to be Macro” spot, complete with Clydesdales, statements of pride to be big, and the hashtag #NotBackingDown.

You’ll find this year’s spot to be a little more tame than the 2015 run, while still digging a little (namely the fruit cup mention). The A-B marketing team said  in the weeks after the 2015 ad, and ahead of the one airing this year, that these spots are not meant to support or build up the rest of the A-B InBev portfolio. Just Budweiser.

In the past year, A-B InBev has purchased craft breweries Golden Road Brewing, Breckinridge Brewery, Camden Town Brewery (UK), and Four Peaks Brewing. Not to mention SAB Miller, the world’s second largest brewery, for more than $100 billion (USD).

7 thoughts on “Anheuser-Busch’s Super Bowl spot calls out small breweries again

  1. This one didn’t get the rise out of me that last year’s did. Seems to be a bigger shot at Blue Moon. Budweiser may say that they are #NotBackingDown, but their sales trends suggest otherwise.

  2. I suppose if they could make good beer, they wouldn’t have to buy all these craft breweries that actually can!!

  3. If you gonna drink pretend beer at least drink PBR. It tastes a bit better and way cheaper. Bud – is like water and it sucks – I prefer a good IPA! From a local brew house. Big Bear in Coral Springs is one of the best. F bud! Would never waste a dime on this crap.

  4. Dud sucks! Sorry but dud is a bad tasting beer.

    I am not wasting my money on a product that makes me puke.

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