While Budweiser's Clydesdales won't be making a Super Bowl TV appearance this year, the brew is trying to keep its steeds in the spotlight with a digital video released today that it will push on social media. Mosaic gets the creative credit on the spot, which was produced by VaynerMedia.
For the TV broadcast, Bud opted for a spot by roster agency David that touts the brewer's canned water disaster relief program. The "Stand By You" ad, which was released last week, breaks a 17-year streak of the Clydesdales making a Super Bowl TV appearance, as Ad Age reported.
The Clydesdales spot, which will run on TV in the days following the game, draws parallels between beer country and wine country. It shows a Clydesdale galloping by places including the Grand Canyon, Lincoln Memorial, Brooklyn Bridge and Gateway Arch in Bud's St. Louis hometown. "Everyone always talks about wine country, but what about beer country?" says Khaleed Juma, creative director at Mosaic. "We wanted to tell the story of where Budweiser was born, rediscovering our home and the communities that raise us."
Bud VP Ricardo Marques described "Beer Country" as a "a year-round campaign" inspired by the company's values and a connection between Budweiser and the country.
Bud will also reprise its "Clydesdale Cam" on Facebook and Twitter, giving live shots of some of its Clydesdales on Super Bowl Sunday, and plans an augmented reality Snapchat lens that portrays a Clydesdale jumping over cases of Bud to kick a football.
But the fact remains that the Clydesdales will be sitting out the biggest TV viewing day of the year. Did Bud make the right call?