On Reddit The Kansas City Chiefs are set to face off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the showpiece final of the 2021 NFL season this Sunday: Super ...
Budweiser announced Monday morning that it is foregoing its annual Super Bowl commercial slot for the first time in 37 years, joining fellow juggernauts Coke, Hyundai and Pepsi in skipping this year's Super Bowl broadcast amid the financial uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The beer brand said in a news release that instead of paying to air a Super Bowl ad, it will instead be "reallocating the media investment" to raise awareness about the COVID-19 vaccine throughout the year, in partnership with the Ad Council.
Like everyone else, we are eager to get people back together, reopen restaurants and bars, and be able to gather to cheers with friends and family," Budweiser vice president of marketing Monica Rustgi said in a statement. "To do this, and to bring consumers back into neighborhood bars and restaurants that were hit exceptionally hard by the pandemic, we’re stepping in to support critical awareness of the COVID-19 vaccine."
According to the news release, Budweiser plans to donate some of its advertising airtime throughout 2021 to the Ad Council and COVID Collaborative, a coalition of experts in health, education and the economy. Clarissa Dickinson, a spokesperson for Budweiser, said she was unable to provide an exact financial value of the donated time but called it "a multi-million dollar commitment.
CBS, which owns the television rights for Super Bowl 55, has sought $5.5 million for a 30-second spot during this year's broadcast, according to multiple reports.
Though Budweiser is skipping this year's television broadcast, it will still run a 90-second ad titled "Bigger Picture" on digital platforms before and during the Super Bowl. The commercial is narrated by actress Rashida Jones.
Bud Light, another Anheuser-Busch brand, is still expected to air an ad during the game.
The absence of Budweiser — and fellow Super Bowl regulars Coke, Hyundai and Pepsi — will leave this year's broadcast without several of the perennial contenders in USA TODAY's Ad Meter, which ranks Super Bowl commercials by consumer rating. Budweiser has a record eight Ad Meter titles since 1989, while the other three companies have combined for six wins during that span.