By
Godfrey Benjamin
November 30th, 2021
The recently-launched Bud Light Next beer variant debuts on the Super Bowl commercial slate and hints at NFTs and the metaverse.
Bud Light Next infused elements from its collection of NFTs in a new Super Bowl introductory ad. The spot also featured a metaverse-inspired musical collection that emphasized in-person encounters with the digital world. Bud Light Next, a zero-carb variant of the Anheuser-Busch beer company’s Budweiser brand, stated that its TV spot demonstrates “zero in the way of possibility.”
According to Bud Light’s vice president of marketing, Andy Goeler, the beer brand’s commercial conveys a strong message. Goeler explained that it functions as a tribute to people pushing boundaries and exceeding limitations. Bud Light Next’s commercial is also one of five other nationwide beverage commercials run by Anheuser-Busch InBev during the Super Bowl. Other TV spots include a new Bud Light Seltzer hard soda line featuring popular American restaurateur Guy Fieri. Another notable AB Inbev TV ad at the premier American football event is the traditional Budweiser spot featuring the iconic Clydesdale horse.
Companies often use Super Bowl space ads to showcase new products and refresh sales volumes of pre-existing ones. Due to the mammoth attention the sporting event garners, Super Bowl ads command hefty fees to feature brands and products. This remains true even to this day, despite last year’s recorded decline in the National Football League’s viewership. The Super Bowl is arguably the largest single sporting event in the United States.
Goeler also expressed commitment to using the vaunted event as a veritable marketing medium:
“We’re investing in a Super Bowl ad for a brand new product, so it’s a big commitment, we believe in it, and we’re going to keep investing in it and building it into a significant part of our portfolio.”
Prior to Its Bud Light Next Outing, Budweiser Previously Announced NFTs in 2021
For a while now, the Budweiser brand has been making its intent clear that it intends to foray into the NFT space. Back in August last year, the famous beer line purchased the beer.eth domain for 8 ETH. In addition, at the time, Budweiser also used the picture of a rocket ship designed by Tom Sachs and posted it on Twitter. The leading NFT marketplace also reported that the rocket imagery was one of several NFT-inspired showpieces by the Tom Sachs Rocket Factory. The factory has created NFT content for several brands, and, at the time, had an estimated number of 2,200 NFTs.
In November 2021, Budweiser launched its own NFT Beer Can collection which granted the opportunity to own a piece of its history. The collection comprises 1,936 ‘Budverse Cans’, which pays homage to the first-ever launch of the Budweiser can back in 1936. The launch of the Budverse can generate massive interest, which even resulted in the temporary crash of some sites. At the time, the beer company touched on the phenomenon as it sold out in a matter of minutes. Budweiser said each NFT was unique and made its holder privy to other perks within the Budverse.
