Sam Adams and Kevin Garnett imagine a friendlier Boston in regional Super Bowl ad

Boston is a wicked unfriendly place, at least if you believe studies like this one. But now, Sam Adams is having some fun with Beantown’s reputation for meanness—in a regional Super Bowl ad that imagines the opposite. The 60-second spot above, by Goodby Silverstein & Partners, features Boston Beer Company’s longtime ad character, Your Cousin From Boston, who stumbles into a parallel universe where Boston is the friendliest place on earth. Needless to say, this is horrifying for our protagonist, who’s baffled that Kevin Garnett, comedian Lenny Clarke and everyone else in town is suddenly as kind and courteous as can be. Of course, it’s all just a gag—promoting the new Boston Lager Remastered, a version of the company’s flagship beer that has been tweaker to be somewhat “brighter” and more drinkable (by adding a traditional German practice of biological acidification, we’re told). The new spot—which will air during the Super Bowl in Boston, New York, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Phoenix—is the latest in a series of entertaining regional big-game spots from Sam Adams. Last year’s entry co-starred the creepy robots made by Boston Dynamics. “We’re excited to introduce drinkers to our new, brighter Boston Lager Remastered, during the big game this year—a key moment for beer brands,” said Lesya Lysyj, chief marketing officer at Boston Beer Company. “And we’re ready to poke some fun at the city we love, with the help of Your Cousin from Boston, while highlighting our continued innovation and passion for brewing the best beer.” “Every New Englander on our team had a story about Boston being not-so-bright or friendly,” added Jeff Goodby, co-founder of GS&P (who, fun fact, once wrote for the Boston Herald American). “It’s why we love the city. We thought: if the beer got brighter, what would happen if Boston did, too? Nobody makes fun of Boston like Boston. We’re coming from a place of love, and it’s all in good fun.” Boston Beer Company says it’s still using the same basic recipe for Sam Adams, but than Remastered is brewed slightly differently, resulting in a brighter, easier-drinking beer. This follows a move by New Belgium Brewing to introduce a new formula for its Fat Tire beer—also making it more drinkable. “We like to say we know there’s a perfect Boston Lager out there … we just haven’t made it yet,” said founder and brewer Jim Koch. “With Remastered, we’re one step closer to perfection. We cleaned up the brewing process to create an easier-drinking profile, giving it an extra sparkle that drinkers will savor. Any time you crack open a Boston Lager you know you’re going to enjoy a rich, full-flavored beer. When you first crack open a Boston Lager Remastered, you might say, ’this is the best Boston Lager I’ve ever had.’”

Sam Adams and Kevin Garnett imagine a friendlier Boston in regional Super Bowl ad

Featured Stories