Budweiser Has Already Won The Super Bowl

Budweiser will not air a Super Bowl ad. Instead, they are redirecting the funds to raise awareness of the COVID-19 vaccines.

It is the first time in 37 years that Budweiser will not air a Super Bowl ad.

The Super Bowl, watched by over 160 million fans across the world, is the yearly advertising event that most brands await for. It is also the most expensive ad buy that most CMOs ever give their OK for. And while the 2021 Super Bowl will see quite a few first-time advertisers, there will not much suspense as to who will win the race this year. Budweiser already did.

Anheuser-Busch InBev, the company behind the Budweiser brand has announced that, for the first time in 37 years, it will not air an ad during the Super Bowl. Instead, the brand has chosen to redirect its funds to the Ad Council and COVID Collaborative to create a national spot to raise awareness for the COVID-19 vaccines.

Of course, the announcement generated quite the buzz, perhaps a lot more than any ad the brand could have made for the Super Bowl. Just 3 days after it was published, the film that announces Budweiser’s decision has already gained over 3 million views and countless press appearances.

PR is not dead.