A round of beers at a seaside bar turns into a dazzling display of impromptu beach soccer and back again in “Superior Beach,” Michelob Ultra’s Super Bowl ad.

The 60-second spot from Wieden+Kennedy showcases the international soccer star Lionel Messi, who with few words but a multitude of physical gifts, tells an elegant story of the convergence of active and social pursuits. That represents something of a new creative interpretation of Ultra’s longtime focus on health and fitness-conscious consumers, according to Ricardo Marques, VP of marketing for the Anheuser-Busch InBev-owned brand.

“This year’s Michelob Ultra commercial celebrates the connection and joy that comes from living an active and social lifestyle,” Marques said in emailed remarks. “This year’s campaign also highlights the evolution of Michelob Ultra’s point of view, which is celebrating the moments where your active life becomes your social life.”

In the ad, Messi is shown ordering Michelob Ultra drafts with two friends when his beer runs out mid-pour. While the bartender goes to change the keg, Messi collects a stray soccer ball and careens down the beach, contending with players chasing him and an obstacle course of beach towels and umbrellas, delighting onlookers including “Ted Lasso” star Jason Sudeikis. When pursuers converge on Messi at the shoreline, he boots the ball over the ocean to a boat, where it’s retrieved by NFL great Dan Marino, who passes it back football style, one Miami star to another.

As Messi approaches the “goal” (actually a man defending a hammock), he’s informed his beer is ready and promptly rejoins his friends.

The ad was directed by Adam Berg. The bossa nova soundtrack is The Drifters’ rendition of “Quando, Quando, Quando.”

AB InBev has not yet revealed when the ad will run in the Feb. 11 game on CBS.

“Our inspiration for this year was to return to the Super Bowl with a campaign that celebrates social athletes everywhere—whether they are a pro or an everyday athlete—because we wanted to remind fans that you don't have to choose between having an active life and a social life,” Marques said.

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New focus on soccer

“Superior Beach” marks the first Super Bowl ad appearance for Messi, and his first spot for Michelob Ultra. Messi has represented AB InBev’s Budweiser brand overseas since 2020. Messi, who is Argentinian, will be a global ambassador for Ultra and a key partner as the brand puts a focus on both soccer and Hispanic consumers, Marques said.

“We’ve seen his commitment to growing the game of soccer while continuing to establish himself as not just a superstar athlete, but a global icon,” Marques said. “Not only is he our global brand ambassador, but given the epic year he’s had—including his recent move to Major League Soccer—we wanted to bring soccer to football’s biggest stage and spotlight his success alongside Michelob Ultra and other iconic personalities such as Dan Marino and Jason Sudeikis.”

Messi’s move to MLS’s Inter Miami club last year was one event propelling the popularity of soccer in the U.S., and that excitement is only expected to grow as the CONMEBOL Copa America, FIFA World Club Cup and FIFA World Cup are all on their way in coming years. Ultra in December announced a deal to be the official beer sponsor of Copa America, which starts in June.

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“Soccer is a sport that is poised to continue to grow at a rapid pace in the next three years and is the No. 1 passion point for Hispanic consumers, who are key drivers of growth in the industry,” Marques said. “The sport aligns with our growth objectives to bring the brand to new audiences because we know the brand is uniquely positioned to connect with consumers across sports and social occasions.”

Passion points

While the Dylan Mulvaney situation brought significant sales declines to AB InBev brands such as Bud Light, Budweiser and Busch Light in 2023, Ultra was something of a modest outlier, finishing the year with dollar sales up by 2% and volume down 0.5% for the year, according to Circana data reported by Beer Marketer’s Insights.

Budweiser and Bud Light are also Super Bowl advertisers this year.

Marques said Ultra succeeded in 2023 by meeting consumers at their “passion points” including intersections of sports, technology and entertainment. Securing partnership agreements with Formula 1’s Williams Racing team and Copa America were among the highlights. Another was an Entertainment for Sport Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity for “Dreamcaster,” a film about technology aiding a blind sportscaster. Its Super Bowl ads last year focused on golf, particularly a star-studded salute to “Caddyshack.”

Ultra has an ongoing partnership with the NBA and last month reached an agreement with the U.S. Olympic Committee making Ultra the official beer of Team USA through 2028. It also was named the official beer sponsor of the PBR bull-riding promotion. Ultra is also behind a Formula 1 production that will use technology to stage a race between Williams Racing legends of the last 45 years and a real driver from today. “Lap of Legends” will be airing on AMC, BBC America and The Roku Channel this spring.

“I’m incredibly excited for the year ahead because we’re continuing to build on a strategy that resonates with consumers who find joy in active living,” Marques said.