The Real Reason You Won't See Any Budweiser Ads At The Super Bowl This Year
When the Super Bowl rolls around, the only thing more exciting than watching the actual game is watching the commercials. According to Fortune, almost 100 million viewers tuned in to watch the game in 2019 and ad space costs millions of dollars for a scant 30-second airtime space. With stakes this high, a ton of companies love to jump on the bandwagon and advertise, but Budweiser has some different plans this year.
According to a statement sent to Mashed, Budweiser plans to forgo any advertising during Super Bowl for the first time in 37 years in order to use its media funding to promote COVID-19 vaccination awareness and education over the course of 2021. The main way that the brand intends to spread the word comes in the form of a Budweiser-produced educational video titled "Bigger Picture" featuring Rashida Jones.
The statement also explained that Budweiser plans to donate a portion of the money usually allocated to purchase its regular Super Bowl advertising space to the Ad Council and COVID Collaborative's Vaccine Education Initiative in order to help promote vaccination efforts across the country. This valiant effort made by the brand might seem abrupt, but Budweiser has a long history of promoting efforts for positive social change.
Budweiser's new way to approach awareness and marketing
Budweiser has led some incredible campaigns in the past. According to Market Watch, the beer company began marketing itself more heavily toward women in 2019 and followed Gillette when they attempted to raise awareness for women's rights. As Budweiser plans to make a stand and sit out from the game, other companies have taken notice and plan to follow suit. According to CNBC, both Coca-Cola and Pepsi don't intend to run ads for their signature sodas, despite Pepsi placing most of their sponsorship efforts into the halftime show. Last year, 2020, ended up as a truly remarkable year, and as a result, we still feel its impact everywhere. Even the Super Bowl can't escape its effects, but with the help of Budweiser, we can slowly put it behind us and let the healing begin.
When you tune in to the big game this year, don't count on seeing Budweiser make an appearance. We will miss their signature ads, but when their efforts get directed toward such a valiant effort, we can't feel too let down. According to the statement, we should plan on seeing the video in the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl, as well as during a short spot during game time. With any luck, Budweiser's public service efforts can help raise the popularity of receiving the coronavirus vaccine and help dispel any false rumors.