I hope you found yourself in a round-table session yelling "whassup" at the top of your lungs in the early 2000s. After airing on Monday Night Football back in 1999, Anheuser-Busch Budweiser's "Whassup" ad campaign exploded as a pop culture catchphrase. The phenomenon was parodied in Scary Movie. Ross tried bringing it back during an episode of Friends. In the first episode of The Office, Michael Scott resurrects the joke several years after it first aired. Based around a short film directed by Charles Stone III, the commercial won the Cannes Grand Prix Award, Grand CLIO Award, and was inducted into the CLIO Hall of Fame.
Honestly, I don't think a year has gone by without somebody sticking out their tongue and screaming Budweiser's catchphrase. The slogan and advertisement were incredible, and I thought there'd never be a way to top it.
Then, Budweiser pulled out all the stops and resurrected the iconic advertisement with a perfect twist for 2020 and Super Bowl LIV.
BudweiserCanada reimagined the iconic commercial before for the Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers in Miami, Florida. Budweiser and Uber teamed up to promote safely getting home and avoiding drunk driving during The Big Game, and they did it perfectly.
In an empty room full of smart devices, several Alexa-type devices, a smart tablet, the washing machine, thermostat, oven, toilet, toothbrush, and even a spinning Roomba all get in on the action, and I can't stop laughing.
Budweiser Reboots "Whassup" Super Bowl Ad
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If I dreamed up a perfect Super Bowl commercial, this would be it.
In a year when Planters' Mr. Peanut gets offed, Bill Nye the Science Guy returns, and Sam Elliott sings 'Old Town Road', there were so many iconic commercials wrapped around a great day of NFL football.
Finish your day off by watching the original Budweiser ads, which was born of creative director Vinny Warren and art director Chuck Taylor at the Chicago-based ad agency DDB, and bring this impossible-to-forget slogan to work with you all week long.
Budweiser's Original Wassup Commercials
UPDATE (April 23, 2020): During the coronavirus pandemic and spread of COVID-19, Budweiser decided to bring back its famous commercials, but this time with a twist.
Starring former NBA legends Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, actress Gabrielle Union, two-time WNBA MVP Candace Parker, and DJ D-Nice, the group get together to say "whassup" in classic fashion. At the same time, Budweiser is using these unprecedented times to spread a message of positivity, unity and staying connected.
Budweiser: Checking In, That's Whassup
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg5ZMkS8zfM&feature=youtu.be
"Thanks to modern technology, we're able to remain virtually connected in ways that otherwise we would not have been able to within the current distance-mandated climate. In times like these, something as simple as a hello, or in this case 'whassup,' means a lot. Following the unbelievable success of the original ad campaign, we found this to be a meaningful opportunity to revisit the original spot's simplicity and focus on human connection in a time when people may be feeling hopeless, uncertain, and alone. Our hope is that by getting people to check in, we can play a small part in bringing the world closer together during these trying times."
— Monica Rustgi, Vice President of Marketing for Budweiser, via press release
Every night at 6 p.m. EST, Budweiser is hosting Instagram live chats to let people say "whassup" to the hosts and celebrities.
Budweiser also re-recorded the audio of it's classic commercial to include the guys saying "in quarantine." For me, drinking Buds with my buds on the phone is the most relatable activity during these strange times.
"Whassup" In Quarantine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9UahJH5r3k
This article was originally published January 22, 2020. It was updated during the COVID-19 lockdown with Budweiser's campaign to keep everyone connected.
