In addition to its usual Budweiser and Bud Light ads, Anheuser-Busch InBev bought time in Super Bowl 50 for a couple of sibling brands, Michelob Ultra ("Breathe") and Shock Top, its unfiltered Belgian-style wheat ale.
In the spot via Anomaly Toronto, smack talk flies between T.J. Miller (from HBO's "Silicon Valley") and Wedgehead, the brand's smart-mouthed orange-slice mascot (hopefully no relation to lemon wedge violently flicked off a beer in Bud's "Not Backing Down" ad in the same game). What could seem small in a Super Bowl ad roster filled with car chases, bear chases and Hulk chases turns out to work well, with dialogue worth listening to and a tone that's just right for the target audience.
The day after the Super Bowl, Miller and Wedgehead returned with a review of Super Bowl 50's other ad plays, including Bud's "Not Backing Down" Clydesdales ("I feel like they're going to come for you in the night") and Mtn Dew's titular "Puppymonkeybaby" ("That thing will haunt my dreams for years to come").
Director: Luke Greenfield. Production company: Anonymous Content. Senior executive producer: Gina Zapata.
BRAND: Shock Top
YEAR: 2016
AGENCY: Anomaly
SUPERBOWL: 50
QUARTER AIRED: Q1