Michelob Ultra preps for Super Bowl with new brand platform and big media spending plans

It’s game on for Michelob Ultra, which is debuting a jocky new brand equity platform ahead of its Super Bowl ad. “Play for an Ultra” taps into the mentality of weekend athletes and the joy they take in competition when Michelob Ultra is at stake—a theme dating all the way back to a predecessor brand, Michelob Light, in the 1980s. A new spot called “Motivation” from Wieden+Kennedy New York will air for the first time during the NFL Divisional Round playoff games this weekend, the brand said. Ultra will air a separate ad reflecting the new platform during the Super Bowl, the Anheuser-Busch InBev-owned brand said. Though details on that ad have yet to be announced, it will include a cameo appearance of Michelob Ultra Zero, the non-alcoholic interpretation of Ultra rolling out this month, Ricardo Marques, VP of marketing for Michelob Ultra, told Ad Age. Super Bowl commercials Tracking the latest brand and agency plans Click here Ultra, with its low-calorie, low-carb formulation, has been associated with sports and active lifestyles for years. What’s different about the new work is the focus on the joy of competition fueling the post-game reward, Marques said. “We recognized that for social athletes, a beer with friends after active pursuits is part of the ritual and competition among friends means more when there’s something to play for,” Marques said in emailed remarks. “So our new campaign taps into that insight while staying true to our brand DNA. It’s a continuation of the story we have been telling for over two decades.” The new ad theme echoes the “Michelob Light for the Winners” campaign of the early 1980s. The platform is part of what Marques said would be “the biggest media investment in the history of this brand” in 2025, supporting the “social athletes” and pro sports leagues and teams that helped make Ultra the fastest-growing beer in the U.S. (according to Circana data for the 13-week period ended Dec. 29, cited by the brand). Michelob Ultra spent $107 million on measured media through the first three quarters of 2024, according to MediaRadar, after spending $115 million for all of 2023. Ultra will “heavy up” on support behind Michelob Ultra Zero, which Marques predicted would make a splash in the fast-growing non-alc category behind a 29-calorie formulation—fewer than half of other nonalcoholic drinks. Ultra made a similar impact in the light beer space when it arrived in 2002 boasting of an industry-leading low-carb count. “We have an exciting full-year dedicated campaign [for Zero] combined with moments where we will leverage our Michelob Ultra assets and media placements in high viewership sports moments like the Super Bowl, the FIFA Club World Cup and the NBA Finals,” Marques said. Expanding support of pro teams, leagues and athletes in recent years has also supported Ultra’s growth, Marques said. Last year, the brand supported international soccer events such as Copa América 2024 and made partnerships with athletes Christian Pulisic and Lionel Messi, the latter starring in last year’s Super Bowl ad. “Professional sports is an incredible vehicle that allows us to bring our brand point of view to life and reach our audience at scale,” Marques said. “Sports continue to be at the forefront of the entertainment landscape both in the U.S. and around the world, and we’re excited to continue making Michelob Ultra synonymous with the teams, athletes and events our consumers are most passionate about.”

Michelob Ultra preps for Super Bowl with new brand platform and big media spending plans

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