Bud Light Preps New Ad For Opener, Will Hand Out Interactive Glasses To Fans At Foxboro

Bud Light will debut "Vendor," its first NFL-themed ad of the season, during tonight's Chiefs-Patriots game. The spot is the newest creative from the brand's "Famous Among Friends" platform, which features a light-hearted friendship between a football fan and his beer vendor at the start of the season. Additional football-themed spots will be unveiled later this season. The beer tonight also will debut the interactive Bud Light Touchdown Glasses, which will be distributed to fans in attendance at Gillette Stadium prior to kickoff. The glasses will light-up blue for every Patriots scoring play. As a nod to the Patriots' 28-3 comeback in Super Bowl LI, fans not at the game can buy one of 28,300 glasses available for sale online (Bud Light). ESPN.com's Darren Rovell noted to make the glass "light up for each TD, fans will have to download an application on an Android or iPhone, pair the phone with the app and ensure the phone is within 30 feet of their glass." This "isn't Budweiser's first foray into using technology to associate a game's big moment with its brand." Budweiser in '13 started selling Red Lights, which "lit up and sounded a horn when the purchaser's hockey team scored a goal." The company "sold 80,000 lights at $150 apiece in its first 2½ years" (ESPN.com, 9/6). AD AGE's E.J. Schultz noted Bud Light also will offer the interactive glasses for the 49ers, Broncos, Colts, Giants, Jets and Raiders. There also is a "generic NFL-themed glass." Bud Light Dir of NFL Marketing Anna Rogers said the brewer is testing the concept with a "few team partners to understand consumer experience and fan demand." Rogers: "Our hope is we can expand the program going forward for future seasons and incorporate with all our team partners" (ADAGE.com, 9/6).