When soccer fans watch the FIFA World Cup this year, Budweiser wants them to let everything—emotions, memories, team spirit, and, of course, beer—pour out.
The Anheuser-Busch InBev beer brand is debuting a new campaign, “Let It Pour,” partnering with soccer superstar Erling Haaland of Norway and former player and manager Jürgen Klopp of Germany.
Both Haaland and Klopp appear in the ad, “Let It Pour,” created by Grey Global. Set to the soundtrack “Feelin’ Alright” by Joe Cocker, the film opens with Klopp sitting in a bar as his pint of Budweiser begins to rumble. “It’s happening again,” he says.
The spot then shows fans from around the world rushing to watch their country’s teams, whether it be in a bar, on the street, or at the stadium, before Haaland scores a goal. It takes a whimsical turn when a fan daydreams about snapping photos with Haaland and his father, former player Alfie-Inge Haaland, in a photo booth.
Even legendary monster Godzilla makes an appearance, celebrating outside a Japanese office building by clutching a Budweiser truck.
“There’s nothing like watching your team play in the World Cup,” Richard Oppy, global president, Premium Company at AB InBev, told ADWEEK. “It happens once every four years and it’s one of those things that when it comes, for 39 days people just lose themselves. They cry. They celebrate. They let all their emotions out. They let it pour.”
“Let It Pour” will run in 40 countries, excluding the U.S., where AB InBev will instead run campaigns from Michelob Ultra and Stella Artois.
A focus on the fans
Budweiser has a long history of centering the fan experience in its World Cup campaigns. In 2022, “Yours to Take” featured fans walking down the players’ tunnel, ready to cheer on their teams. In 2018, “Light Up the World Cup” showed a fleet of drones delivering Budweiser to raucous fans.
“Fans are really at the core of everything we do, and we wanted to tap into their passion, their emotions, and show them celebrating with Budweiser and really letting it pour,” Oppy said.
