Proving “It’s only worth it if you enjoy it,” some of the biggest faces across various sports (and also Logan Roy) star in the golf-themed ad set to air live during the Feb. 12 contest.
The latest Super Bowl ad from Michelob ULTRA may be airing during football’s biggest night, but the Anheuser Busch beer brand is taking a different direction with its storytelling for the star-studded campaign. Rather than having the likes of Serena Williams, Jimmy Butler, Alex Morgan, Tony Romo, and more enjoy a cold one while tossing the pigskin, these veteran athletes are engaging in a friendly game of golf.
The spot, set at the fictional Bushwood Country Club from 1980’s Caddyshack, opens with Williams donning her best golf ensemble and competing against actor Brian Cox, a.k.a. Logan Roy of HBO’s Succession. Both exchange shots on the green while Butler, Nneka Ogwumike, and more look on dancing and enjoying a pint of beer. Inspired by the original film starring Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, and Rodney Dangerfield, Williams told Boardroom she thoroughly enjoyed spending the afternoon filming alongside other big-name athletes.
“Sometimes, you’re on set and it ends up being work, but this one was so cool,” the 23-time Grand Slam champion said. “I was super excited to be a part of another Michelob ULTRA ad, let alone another Super Bowl ad.”
Considering she has a lot more time on her hands since announcing she was beginning the transition toward tennis retirement in 2022, it was naturally worth asking whether Williams would turn her attention to a different sport as a new pastime.
“Yea, I’m definitely getting into golf,” she joked. “I decided that I really want to bring back some cool tennis outfits, even if it’s in photos.”
As far as camaraderie amongst talent goes, Butler co-signed on Williams’ praise for their fellow co-stars.
“I’m on the stage with so many people that arguably are the GOATs,” the Miami Heat star told Boardroom. “You’ve got all these incredible athletes not being incredible athletes, if that makes sense. We were all just smiling, having fun, and goofing around. That doesn’t happen without Michelob ULTRA. This spot is all about thinking, ‘Hey, it’s fine and dandy to be a fierce competitor, But you shouldn’t really take yourself seriously all the time.’ If you ask anyone there did they enjoy their time playing golf and being in the ad, everyone is going to say they did.”
In addition to proving “It’s only worth it if you enjoy it,” Michelob is also introducing groundbreaking partnerships with Netflix, Instacart, and golf apparel brand Devereux Golf, integrating digital, fashion, sports, entertainment, and ecommerce with plans to build upon those verticals throughout the year.
Ricardo Marques, Vice President of Marketing Michelob ULTRA, opened up about those prospects to Boardroom.
“That clarity or point of view, knowing what our place in the world is and living up to our commitments to increase visibility for women’s sports are so essential. When you put it all together, it is possible to keep surprising and bringing in new ideas every year.”
“The shoppable part of ad is incredibly important because it allows us to tie our media investments back in a way that leverages our accessibility to order Michelob through Instacart,” Marques said. “We are heading into a full-funnel approach to make sure we are not only putting our point of view out there, but also directly engaging with our consumers the easiest way we can.”
Regarding its plans alongside Netflix, Michelob has teamed up with the streaming giant on a new docuseries, Full Swing, which follows a diverse group of professional golfers across an entire PGA Tour season. The dynamic partnership brings together two of the biggest brands in sports and entertainment that have a shared ambition to celebrate the next generation of golf culture. The commercial includes a QR code that fans can scan to unlock early access to the first episode of Full Swing, which will go live immediately following the game and will be available until 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Feb. 13.
Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles begins at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 12 in Glendale, Arizona. The game will be televised in the US on FOX.
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