Budweiser may not be airing an ad in the Super Bowl this year, but Bud Light Seltzer Lemonade is making its big game debut. Aptly titled “Last Year’s Lemons,” the commercial celebrates our relatable moments from the past year as we collectively adjusted to pandemic life, from home haircuts to postponed weddings.

“When did Bud Light Seltzer start making lemonade?” a woman asks herself at the top of the spot. “Probably when 2020 handed us all those lemons,” her friend replies, before a montage of events are interrupted by a literal plague of lemons.

Bud Light’s new spiked and sparkling lemonade was released nationwide on January 18.

Super Bowl LV will be the perfect venue to introduce the brand’s newest expansion to the nation. The Buccaneers, led by Tom Brady, will be the first home team to host a Super Bowl when they play the reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

“We wanted to give consumers something to start the New Year off right by bringing them the bold flavor of our new Bud Light Seltzer Lemonade,” said Andy Goeler, vice president of marketing for Bud Light. “The Super Bowl always brings together avid and casual sports fans alike, and our hope is that our new commercial brings them a little bit of levity and fun while watching the game.”

The campaign has an interactive component, too. During the game fans are invited to “turn a lemon of a play into Bud Light Seltzer Lemonade,” the brand says. Whenever either team has a turnover, fans can enter to win a case worth of the spiked and sparkling lemonade by tweeting with #LemonsIntoLemonade and #Sweepstakes.

The brand’s new variety pack includes four different flavors: Original Lemonade, Black Cherry Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade and Peach Lemonade. Each 12 oz. skinny can contains 100 calories, less than one gram of sugar, and 5 percent ABV.

“After launching Bud Light Seltzer last year, it quickly became one of the top innovations in the entire category and in the history of the brand. We are excited to continue expanding our portfolio with the new Bud Light Seltzer Lemonade variety pack,” said Goeler.

“Our Seltzer Lemonade marries the bold flavors of lemonade with the refreshing bubbliness of seltzer; this new offering is perfect for both established seltzer fans and those who are looking to give seltzer a try.”

Last week Budweiser announced that it would not be airing an ad during the Super Bowl for the first time in 37 years, having produced some of the game’s most iconic commercials. Instead the brand will be “reallocating the media investment” to raise awareness about the COVID-19 vaccine through a partnership with the Ad Council.

“Like everyone else, we are eager to get people back together, reopen restaurants and bars, and be able to gather to cheers with friends and family,” said Budweiser vice president of marketing Monica Rustg. “To do this, and to bring consumers back into neighborhood bars and restaurants that were hit exceptionally hard by the pandemic, we’re stepping in to support critical awareness of the COVID-19 vaccine.”

Kudos to Budweiser for supporting the bar and restaurant industry through this public health initiative. And welcome to the big show, Bud Light Seltzer Lemonade.

Erin Grafton
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