‘The joy is in the game’— thanks for the reminder, Michelob ULTRA
Although I am not a Michelob drinker by any means, their Super Bowl commercial “Happy” this year definitely stood out to me. Of course, notable A-List athletes caught my initial attention; Peyton Manning, Serena Williams, Anthony Davis etc, but it was the message behind the advert that resonated with me in a surprising way (especially coming from a beer brand?)
With that said, let’s dive into the analysis here.
The ad begins by showcasing photographs of the world’s most talented athletes, in their proudest moments — the moment in which they won. I think I can pretty much speak for us all when I say, we love to win, it’s just basic human nature, right? However, Michelob touches on the process of winning, rather than the outcome.
The brand presents a sort of “chicken or the egg” type of question — does success lead to happiness? Or does happiness lead to success? Michelob suggests the latter here.
The campaign asks us “What if we were wrong the whole time? Wrong in thinking that joy happens only at the end, after the sacrifice, after the commitment, after the win.” Then suggesting that joy has always been there “fueling” the actual winning moment. I guess this kind of goes hand-in-hand with the saying “do what you love and success will follow.” The brand insinuates that relaxation, quality time with friends, or something as simple as enjoying a nice beer are all keys to success in life. Overall wellness and happiness is what fuels us to do better, and be better versions of ourselves. It is the people around us, and the moments that we share in which we feel truly connected and happy. Joy in the “game” itself is what ultimately sets the foundation for success in life.
On a personal note, I agree with Michelob’s claims about success. I do feel that genuine enjoyment in whatever I’m doing helps to propel me forward. Sure, a gold medal here and there is definitely a win for the ego — but it won’t create meaningful happiness, like real connection can. Their message, that joy is vital, is what really sparked my engagement into this campaign. I felt that it was extremely well executed, and was ultimately share-worthy because it reminds us of something that we can all stand to be reminded of every now and then — to enjoy life as it happens.
As far as the Michelob ULTRA brand goes, the commercial is exceptionally in alignment with the overall image. ULTRA has paved the way for themselves as a premium, and “healthier” beer line, being only 95 calories and 2.6 grams of carbohydrates. Their slogan “The superior light beer,” with use of the word superior suggests that it is a line for high quality consumers, or winners, if you will. Using powerful visuals of successful athletes enjoying the beer throughout the ad, suggests that winners drink ULTRA.
With over 415,000 views on YouTube to date — “Happy” has created some serious buzz around the US, being featured on prominent websites such as forbes.com, heavy.com, usatoday.com and adage.com. Here, a Forbes article discuses the Michelob ad. It specifically highlights Serena Williams, and her ever so serious image on the court, but also her ability to enjoy her time. She is quoted saying that “life is really about balance, but you also have to have fun and let go.” A relatable, and powerful message, delivered in a playful and engaging way is hard to ignore, and Michelob presented this to us beautifully.
