Most of us are familiar with Bud Light, one of the most popular alcoholic beverages in the United States of America, chiefly because of their internet-breaking television ads.
From the medieval commercials of the 2010s to the Office-inspired ads of the late 00s, Bud Light enjoys introducing audiences (usually sports audiences) to different worlds – worlds in which their beverage is of paramount importance.
Below, we celebrate Bud Light's unstoppable marketing team by calling attention to their best TV commercials (so far). We also take a look at the music used in each advert, exploring the different mood each attempts to create.
Game of Thrones X Bud Light Commercial
Plot: For their 2019 Super Bowl commercial, Bud Light teamed up with Game of Thrones to give their ‘Bud Knight’ character (introduced in previous ads) a worthy opponent: Ser Gregor Clegane (AKA The Mountain). Unsurprisingly, Ser Clegane opts for his familiar winning move, crushing the eyes of the protagonist.
But that’s not all. In a moment that foreshadows the events of GOT’s final season, Drogon appears out of the blue to torture innocent civilians. Needless to say, the advert created hype around the HBO show and the alcoholic beverage.
Music: The soundtrack to the Game of Thrones X Bud Light commercial begins with a short medieval-inspired song, led by strings and woodwinds, accompanied by the diegetic sound of regal trumpets. Subsequently, the music merges into the familiar sound of Game of Thrones' theme tune (a track capable of sending fantasy nerds like us, wild).
Bud Light Seltzer Commercial
Plot: How do you advertise lemonade seltzer to a pretty sensitive post-2020 audience? According to Bud Light, you remind them that 2020 was a lemon of a year, and blame its chaos on raining lemons, rather than a deadly pandemic. Then, you end it with the age-old adage, ‘When life gives you lemons’. Sound bizarre? That’s because it is. But it’s also very entertaining.
Music: Emphasising the year-long timeline of the advert, Bud Light opts for Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae’s Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday (I Love You): a 1950’s track that literally runs through all the days of the week in its catchy chorus.
Bud Light In The Can Commercial
Plot: Bud Light’s ‘In the Can' commercial is extremely cheeky, relying on an adult audience to be cognizant of the X-rated euphemism that leads the ad’s narrative. The shocking nature of the ad certainly got people talking back in the 00s, which, to us, is a sign of an effective commercial.
Music: When an advert is made up of a multitude of clips, it’s important the music remains consistent throughout. The calm, gentle music used in the 'In The Can' ad allows the audience to focus on the all-so-important dialogue.
Bud Light Swear Jar Commercial (also known as The Banned Bud Light Commercial)
Plot: Bud Light’s famous ‘Swear Jar’ ad focuses on a corporate office team who are purposely looking to fill their swear jar to score a crate of Bud Light. The sitcom-style commercial, reminiscent of The Office, is both parts hilarious and relatable.
But what’s really interesting about the 2007 ad is that it was never actually aired on TV. In fact, it was reportedly banned. Initially, it was created to play on Bud.TV, the brand’s short-lived online television network, but soon leaked across the internet. Astonishingly, the commercial was still able to pick up an array of advertising awards.
Music: Although the advert doesn’t use a background music track, it does feature sound effects towards the end of the advert that aid the commercial’s narrative.
If you happen to be looking for sound effects for your next project, make sure you take a look at our expansive array of musical effects in our catalogue.
Lady Gaga Bud Light Commercial
Plot: Bud Light collaborated with pop sensation Lady Gaga on a promotional concert tour dubbed ‘Dive Bar Tour’ back in October 2016. In the ad, Gaga sings her hit ‘Million Reasons’ in different locations across the US. In some clips, she’s even sporting a Bud Light tee.
Music: As mentioned above, Lady Gaga sings ‘Million Reasons’, a track featured on her 2016 country-inspired album Joanne.
The New Bud Light Commercial (also known as The Bud Light Legends commercial)
Plot: Bud Light’s Super Bowl LV commercial pays homage to Avengers: Endgame – currently the highest-grossing film of all time. ‘Legends’ from adverts of the past few years (including The Bud Knight and Post Malone) emerge from blue-lit portals to help a fallen Bud Light driver deliver the goods to Bud-thirsty customers.
Music: The track used in the Bud Light Legends commercial is brooding, dramatic and, above all, epic. Essentially, it sounds like something one might hear in a superhero blockbuster.
Want to know more about great ads? Take a look at Best Sports Ads 2021 or Best Sports Ads Ever.
For the best music for commercials, we have dedicated playlists, updated every fortnight.
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This page was updated 21/05/2024 and 09/07/2024.
