To mark National Best Friends Day, Budweiser is highlighting an unusual baseball achievement.
The beer brand, whose parent Anheuser-Busch InBev once owned the St. Louis Cardinals, has signed up two veteran players of that franchise, pitcher Adam Wainwright and catcher Yadier Molina, to star in a campaign called “Best Buds.” The campaign from A-B InBev’s in-house agency Draftline breaks this morning and encourages fans to tag the brand on social media for a chance to win tickets to an MLB game with their best friend. Budweiser and online alcohol retailer Drizly are also offering an associated discount on online purchases on June 8, which is National Best Friends Day.
While reinforcing Budweiser’s longtime association with baseball fans and social gatherings, the ad highlights the remarkable, long, and intertwined careers of Molina, 39, and Wainwright, 40, who have each hinted that this will be their final season.