A year after Busch Light used Kenny G to capture the smooth sound of the mountains, the beer returns to the Super Bowl with a different music icon. In “The Busch Guide: Cold + Smooth Survival Skills,” the beer’s commercial for Super Bowl LVII, a flannelled guide, aka Busch Guy, says that “three things are required in the great outdoors. Those being food, drink (in this case, a six-pack of Busch Light), and shelter. Cue Sarah McLachlan appearing inside a tent, alongside a furry friend, with a very special message.
“For just dollars a day, you can help helpless animals find shelter,” she says, while her song, “Angel” (aka the song known for playing alongside the ASPCA’s commercials asking you to help dogs and cats escape cruel and abusive conditions) begins to play. Images of woodland creatures – an owl, a deer, a sleepy fox – begin to play, but when Busch Guy cracks open a cold Busch Light with its “BUSCH” sound, he stops the sadness before it starts. “Wrong shelter, Sarah,” he says. “Also, that’s a wolf.”
The “Shelter” commercial was developed by The Martin Agency and continues Busch Light’s campaign for a greater presence in the beer commercial market. “Kenny G was the perfect partner to help us kick off our return to the Super Bowl last year because his music is as smooth as an ice-cold Busch Light,” Krystyn Stowe, head of marketing for Busch Family Brands at Anheuser-Busch, told Adweek when discussing the new attitude from the brand. “Following last year’s reprisal of ‘Head for the Mountains,’ we wanted to revive another commercial classic that provides more reasons to crack open a Busch Light during this year’s Super Bowl.”
“When you swap dogs for wolves in the great outdoors, suddenly you have something as iconic as Kenny G remixing ‘Head for the Mountains,'” says Stowe. “As for Sarah, she loves animals and the wilderness, so working with a brand that shares those values to entertain millions during the Super Bowl was a no-brainer for her.”
Busch Light is competing with more than just beer this year. Anheuser-Busch gave up its alcohol sponsor exclusivity for Super Bowl LVII, ending its reign since 1989. This move is a shift in the brand’s focus, as they’ll only run three minutes of commercials (down from four) this year. Budweiser, Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, and Busch Light will get their spots, but the end of the exclusivity means that brands like Molson Coors, Rémy Martin, and Heineken will appear during the game on Feb. 12.