Anheuser-Busch made a splash last night at the Super Bowl with their new commercial. Yes, they indeed brought the cute dog and the famous clydesdales to the party, but the real talk was their “Brewed the Hard Way” spot.
Now, we all know craft breweries and craft beer drinkers have taken their shots at big Budweiser and macro breweries in the past. Last night, Budweiser took their own stance. Up until now, the strategy has been to ignore the rise of craft brewing.
Quite a few people were confused by the approach, which comes just a few days after announcing the purchase of another craft brewery in Seattle. (Ironically, that has brewed a Pumpkin Peach Ale.)
Saint Louis, Missouri’s Civil Life’s Brewing Company quips back about “Brewing the Hard Way”
Just found out Dylan has been making beer the easy way since 2011. Must buy machines, puppy and hire ad agency. pic.twitter.com/iXsdHfpfdK
— Be Civil (@TheCivilLife) February 2, 2015
The biggest discussion seen over and over across social media questions Bud’s commercial intentions after buying four craft breweries in the past few years (Goose Island, 10 Barrel, Blue Point, and Elysian.) I guess all the David & Goliath references craft has made in the past has prompted this response.
It was only a matter of time. Budweiser outdid the puppies and horses in 60 seconds. That’s advertising.
The biggest danger for Budweiser are beer drinkers becoming better informed and exposed to beer that actually tastes like…you know…something ! They’ve long made a fortune on unsophisticated brews, that is until beer drinkers started travelling and micro-breweries started producing amazing beer.
$9 million to trot out a tired old slogan from the 1970s, some stock footage of steel workers and grain, and some first-draft parodies of dudes with mustaches and sideburns. Money well spent! Also, it’s pretty much a carbon copy of this Carhartt ad from a couple years ago, which was made by the same advertising agency (http://adsoftheworld.com/media/tv/carhartt_force ). Yawn.
Well said and nice find.
Fixed link:
http://adsoftheworld.com/media/tv/carhartt_force