Budweiser "Bigger Picture"

Source: Budweiser.com

Budweiser just announced yesterday that it won’t be participating in this year’s 2021 Super Bowl. The collective reaction around the world was, “What?!? No Clydesdales?!?”

Right, no Clydesdales, at least not this year.

Instead, like many brands who have paused and re-purposed their marketing during the pandemic, Budweiser is funneling its efforts to COVID-19 related work. Vaccinations in particular. The brand’s new video explains it best, titled “Bigger Picture.”

Bigger picture indeed. Love the opening! “Lean On Me!”

“We can do anything.”

“Let’s turn our strength into hope.”

Coke and Pepsi have announced that they too won’t be participating either, and they too have done a lot of activity to support the pandemic.

The Super Bowl has often been called “The Marketer’s Holiday” for its focus on the release of new advertising for the year. Big productions, big expectations, big budgets. All for the Big Game.

But perhaps not this year, and perhaps appropriately so. There is indeed a bigger picture. I’ll be tuning in to watch what happens. And every year we hold a Twitter Party at #SuperBowlExp to chat about the advertising. We still will chat. But we may very well be chatting about a lot of things as we shelter in place and tweet during this annual American tradition. Amidst the bigger picture.

What’s your experience? JIM

PS … For a little nostalgia, here’s a recap of the top 10 Budweiser Super Bowl ads. Kinda fun to rewind.