Budweiser Revisits Iconic Whassup Ad For COVID-19 Quarantine

Budweiser launched a new version of its iconic Whassup ad to encourage you to check in on your friends during the COVID-19 quarantine.

After weeks of isolation, and the first excitement of Zoom happy hours, most of us are resigned and have given up on the simplest social interactions. Yet, it is now that our friends need us the most.

To remind us all to check in on our friends, Budweiser is bringing back on the most iconic ad from the ’90s: “Whassup.”

Budweiser is also introducing a star-studded cast for another take on the 90’s ad: NBA superstar Dwyane Wade, actor Gabrielle Union, Miami Heat’s Chris Bosh, two-time WNBA MVP Candace Parker and DJ D-Nice.

Monica Rustgi, VP of marketing for Budweiser, said in a statement:

“Thanks to modern technology, we’re able to remain virtually connected in ways that otherwise we would not have been able to within the current distance-mandated climate. In times like these, something as simple as a hello, or in this case, ‘Whassup,’ means a lot.”

Rustgi also added that the original spot was the perfect opportunity to remind people to “focus on human connection in a time when people may be feeling hopeless, uncertain, and alone. Our hope is that by getting people to check-in, we can play a small part in bringing the world closer together during these trying times.”

The original “Whassup” ad appeared during Monday Night Football in December 1999. It quickly became an icon and was referenced in numerous TV shows like The Office and Friends in the two decades since. In 2018, Burger King partnered with Budweiser for a remake of the ad (watch it here.)