MillerCoors Campaign To Mock Companies For Steep Super Bowl Ads

Miller High Life TV Spot Will Direct Viewers To Web Site Featuring One-Second Ads

While Anheuser-Busch will have the "only beer ads" during NBC's broadcast of Super Bowl XLIII on February 1, MillerCoors "plans a counterattack of TV and Web ads that make fun of such free spending, as well as a one-second stunt ad airing on local stations during the game," according to Theresa Howard of USA TODAY. The TV ads for Miller High Life will begin Monday and will "tweak advertisers paying NBC $3[M] ... for a 30-second ad in the game." The one-second "game-day stunt ad -- known as a 'blink' -- will air on 25 local NBC stations reaching about 60% of the TV audience." The ad will "promote Miller website 1secondad.com, which has the TV ad, more one-second ads, and a buyer loyalty program." Meanwhile, A-B will "send people who registered mobile phone numbers at budbowl.com a Super Bowl-style ad that's longer and more raucous than could air on game day." A-B also will "promote the Super Bowl on Facebook and YouTube and make ads available for download after the game" (USA TODAY, 1/20).

HORSE BUSINESS: In N.Y., Stuart Elliott notes A-B may run "as many as three spots during the game that would feature the familiar Budweiser Clydesdales," up from the one Clydesdales-themed ad they typically air during the game. A-B VP/Marketing Keith Levy said the "driving factor" behind the Clydesdales' increased presence is InBev's $52B acquisition of the brewery in July. Levy said the horses "embody the company and its American roots." He added the "best thing we can do" is reassure customers that the "things they've grown accustomed to and love about our brands still remain." Meanwhile, Elliott notes Heineken USA is "introducing a tongue-in-cheek campaign that presents actor John Turturro as a guru whose words of wisdom are composed of more head than beer." The ads, which began running Sunday, will air during the Super Bowl only in "local station breaks in 25 large markets across the country." The Heineken campaign carries the theme "Give yourself a good name," replacing the previous theme of "It's all about the beer" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/20). Fox Business’ Chris Cotter said, “They had the merger with In-Bev this year and they want to tell people, ‘Hey, we’re still the same Budweiser, still high quality.’ So they’re going to focus a little bit more on their heritage” (Fox Business, 1/19).

CAREER ADVICE: In Chicago, Mary Ellen Podmolik notes Monster is "back in the game for the first time" since '04, and the company is "finalizing two commercials, including a fourth-quarter ad similar to one that made its debut during the Golden Globes." That ad depicted a "terrified construction worker [who] inches across a beam on his stomach, despite being only a few feet off the ground." The ad asks viewers, "Are you in the right job?" Meanwhile, CareerBuilder will make its "fifth consecutive Super Bowl appearance" this year. One CareerBuilder spot, via Wieden & Kennedy, that "will run as either a 30- or 60-second commercial in the third quarter features a montage showing reasons a person might need a new job, like if the co-worker next to you is a Speedo-wearing toe-picker" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 1/20).