Bud Light’s NFL Campaign with Peyton Manning

To kick off the 2025 football season, Bud Light is launching an NFL-themed campaign that doubles down on fan passion and classic brand humor. The Anheuser-Busch InBev beer brand has brought back Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning as the face of its new ads, alongside a slate of limited-edition NFL team cans and fan experience giveaways. The goal is clear: win back the hearts of core beer drinkers and football fans by celebrating what they love most about game day. This people-first approach comes at a crucial time for Bud Light, which is looking to regain momentum after recent challenges in the marketplace.

‍

Parachuting into Fan Passion with Peyton Manning

‍

In Bud Light’s new “Parachute” ad, Peyton Manning skydives into a stadium, calling a last-second “Omaha!” audible to veer toward a Bud Light - highlighting the humorous lengths fans (and legends) will go for the beer.

At the center of the campaign is a humorous TV spot titled “Parachute,” created with agency Anomaly New York. The ad features Peyton Manning leading an NFL skydiving team into a packed stadium - until he spots what appears to be an ice-cold Bud Light on the field. In trademark fashion, Manning bellows his famous “Omaha!” call to change course mid-air, abandoning the formation to chase the beer. He ends up crashing straight into a Bud Light billboard, as a tongue-in-cheek voiceover declares “Anything for Bud Light”. The playful spot exaggerates the “great lengths that fans go to for their favorite team and for a Bud Light on gameday,” explained Todd Allen, Bud Light’s senior vice president of marketing. By depicting even a legendary quarterback going all-out for a Bud Light, the ad celebrates fan loyalty in an over-the-top way that’s meant to get a chuckle from the audience.

The “Parachute” commercial will run throughout the NFL season in both 30-second and 15-second cuts across TV, streaming, digital and social channels. Manning’s presence is a familiar one - this marks his sixth campaign with Bud Light. His long-running partnership with the brand (including a popular Super Bowl ad earlier in 2025) underscores Bud Light’s reliance on beloved personalities who embody the beer’s lighthearted, fan-friendly vibe. “Manning is a genuine fan of Bud Light and perfectly matches our energy and sense of humor,” Allen noted, highlighting why the former quarterback is an ideal ambassador. By leveraging Manning’s broad appeal and comedic timing, Bud Light aims to reinforce an authentic connection with football fans and signal that the brand is back to having fun alongside its consumers.

‍

‍

Embracing Teams with Limited-Edition NFL Cans and Tailgate Experiences

‍

Bud Light’s fall campaign isn’t confined to the airwaves-it extends into the hands and backyards of fans. A major packaging play this season is the return of NFL team-branded Bud Light cans, allowing fans to literally wrap their hands around their team spirit. The brewery has released limited-edition cans for 27 NFL teams (representing the franchises Bud Light sponsors) adorned with each team’s logo, colors and even retro jersey-inspired striping. Scanning a QR code on these special cans unlocks exclusive content and sweepstakes entries, inviting customers to engage beyond the beverage itself.

Bud Light’s limited-edition 2025 NFL team cans feature team logos, colors and retro-style stripes for 27 NFL franchises, along with QR codes that fans can scan to access special content, game tickets, merch drops and more.

Through the QR codes on each can, Bud Light is offering fans chances to win a range of prizes - from game tickets and team merchandise to “at-home tailgate” kits complete with grills and TVs. In fact, the brand’s “Bring Home the Official Tailgate” promotion will award lucky winners full-fledged tailgate experiences delivered right to their backyard, so fans can recreate the excitement of a stadium parking lot party at home. Bud Light plans to give away tailgate gear for each week of the 18-week NFL regular season, underscoring how serious they are about meeting fans wherever they enjoy the game. “This year, we are meeting fans where they are and showing up big for them,” said Allen, emphasizing that the campaign’s various elements - from ads to cans to contests - are designed to elevate the fan experience everywhere football is watched. Whether supporters are cheering in a stadium, at a bar, or on the couch at home, Bud Light wants to be part of their football ritual.

‍

‍

Back to Basics: Refocusing on Core Fans After a Challenging Year

‍

For Bud Light, this NFL kickoff campaign represents more than just a seasonal marketing push - it’s a strategic return to the brand’s roots in the wake of recent turbulence. In 2023, Bud Light faced a well-publicized setback after a controversial marketing collaboration with a transgender influencer sparked a consumer boycott, alienating some of its long-time drinkers. The fallout was significant, contributing to an estimated $1.4 billion drop in sales for parent company AB InBev and costing Bud Light its position as America’s top-selling beer. (By mid-2023, Modelo Especial had unseated Bud Light as the nation’s #1 beer by sales, a stunning end to Bud Light’s more than two-decade reign.)

In response, Bud Light entered “a new era of marketing” focused on its core demographic and fundamental brand identity. Instead of chasing trends or niche audiences, the brand is doubling down on what made it a powerhouse: classic, light-hearted campaigns that unite beer drinkers around sports, humor, and communal fun. “This campaign builds on the fundamentals that are at the core of our brand - first and foremost, putting fans at the center,” Allen said, reaffirming that showcasing what excites and rallies Bud Light’s fans is the top priority. The pivot was already evident earlier this year in Bud Light’s Super Bowl 59 commercial, “Big Men on the Cul-de-Sac,” which starred Manning alongside music artist Post Malone and comedian Shane Gillis. That Super Bowl spot, created by the same agency (Anomaly), was well-received and helped the beer get back to the basics of its brand identity with a goofy, relatable premise (transforming a dull backyard barbecue into a party). Now, the NFL kickoff campaign continues that back-to-basics playbook, firmly steering the brand away from polarizing messages and back toward universally enjoyable themes of football fandom and good times.

Early indications suggest the renewed focus may be stabilizing the brand. In the second quarter of 2025, AB InBev reported a modest 3% rise in revenue to $15 billion (slightly under expectations). More telling, the company attributed any missed targets to slowdowns in markets like China and Brazil - implying that the North American business (which includes Bud Light) is on more solid footing. Industry data also shows Bud Light’s volume declines are slowing, and the brand has stopped the bleeding enough that sister brand Michelob Ultra and chief rival Modelo are no longer widening their leads as dramatically as last year. The football season is a make-or-break window for Bud Light to accelerate this rebound. As a long-time official beer sponsor of the NFL, Bud Light is leveraging the 2025 season as a platform to remind consumers why it became synonymous with football in the first place.

‍

All-Star Endorsements and Year-Round Engagement

‍

Beyond just one commercial, Bud Light’s broader strategy involves high-profile partnerships and year-round engagements to keep the brand entwined with football culture. Peyton Manning’s starring role in “Parachute” is the marquee example, but Bud Light isn’t stopping at retired legends. As the NFL season progresses, the brand will roll out additional content featuring current NFL players like George Kittle (San Francisco 49ers tight end) and Baker Mayfield (Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback). By tapping popular active players - especially those known for big personalities - Bud Light can connect with younger fans and team loyalists in a more contemporary way.

The brand is also exploring innovative content formats to engage fans outside traditional advertising. This summer, Bud Light teamed up with Netflix and Manning’s Omaha Productions to release a short-form parody sketch called “Armchair Quarterback,” tied to the streaming platform’s Quarterback docuseries. The sketch featured Manning in a lighthearted bit of content that blurred the line between marketing and entertainment. Such experiments indicate how Bud Light is diversifying its marketing playbook to include digital and social media content that resonates with modern audiences (who increasingly split their attention between TV, streaming, and online platforms). “The NFL season is always on for us,” Allen told industry outlet Marketing Brew, noting that Bud Light maintains a presence at NFL-related events year-round. From sponsoring the NFL Draft and even a offseason Tight End training camp, to planning campaigns for college football Saturdays, Bud Light is ensuring its brand stays visible wherever football fans turn. This 360-degree approach - combining TV commercials, on-pack promotions, experiential marketing, and social content collaborations - exemplifies a comprehensive push to rebuild Bud Light’s relationship with consumers on all fronts.

‍

Insights and Takeaways for Alcohol Marketing Leaders

‍

Bud Light’s NFL Season Kickoff campaign offers a noteworthy case study in how a legacy alcohol brand can bounce back by realigning with its core audience and values. Key insights from this campaign include:

• Put Fans (Customers) First: Every element of this campaign - from the ad’s storyline to the packaging and promotions - is designed around enhancing the fan experience. Bud Light identified what its primary consumers care about (their teams, game day rituals, having fun with friends) and built marketing initiatives to amplify that passion. The clear message: if you delight your core audience and make them feel understood, they will reward you with loyalty.
  
  
• Leverage Authentic Ambassadors: Bud Light’s use of Peyton Manning (and other NFL personalities) works because these figures genuinely connect with the brand’s image and its consumers. Manning brings credibility as a football icon and likeability as a humorous pitchman. His long association with the beer adds authenticity - viewers sense he truly enjoys the product, which strengthens trust. For marketers, the lesson is to choose brand ambassadors who naturally embody your brand’s spirit and appeal to your target demo, rather than chasing controversy or purely trend-driven influencers.
  
  
• Integrate Across Channels and Touchpoints: The campaign illustrates the power of a holistic, multi-channel approach. A funny TV commercial alone might grab attention, but Bud Light multiplied its impact by extending the theme to retail (team cans), digital content (QR code experiences), promotions (tailgate giveaways), and even earned media via social buzz. This ensures the brand stays top-of-mind in different contexts - whether a fan is watching a game, shopping for beer, or scrolling through Instagram. Consistency across these touchpoints (all carrying the “Anything for Bud Light” spirit) reinforces the campaign’s message and keeps consumers engaged at every turn.
  
  
• Turn Challenges into Opportunities: After a misstep that led to public backlash, Bud Light’s instinct was not to retreat quietly but to regain control of the narrative. By openly pivoting back to its “for the fans” heritage and injecting fun into its marketing, the brand is working to rebuild trust and enthusiasm among its base. Alcohol brand owners can note how Bud Light addressed the issue: acknowledge the core audience’s sentiments and win them back with campaigns that feel like a “thank you” to loyal customers. In tough times, doubling down on your brand’s fundamental promise can be more effective than over-correcting or chasing a completely new image.
  
  
• Align with Cultural Moments: Finally, Bud Light’s campaign underlines the importance of timing and relevance. Football season is a cultural moment that perfectly aligns with the beer-drinking occasion. By launching a major campaign at the NFL kickoff (and having a presence throughout the season, including the Super Bowl), Bud Light ensures it is part of the conversation when millions of fans are actively engaged in the sport. Other alcohol marketers should similarly identify the key passion points and seasonal events for their target audience - be it sports, holidays, festivals - and plan signature marketing pushes around those times. Showing up when and where your customers are most excited makes your message more resonant.
  
  

Looking Ahead

‍

Bud Light’s NFL Season Kickoff campaign signals a confident step forward for the brand, reflecting a commitment to its people-first, humor-heavy playbook. By reviving beloved traditions (like team cans and football celebrity cameos) and layering on fresh interactive twists, the brand is effectively saying it hasn’t forgotten who it is or who it serves. “After nearly three decades of delivering epic fan experiences, we know it’s critical to show up and elevate the fan experience everywhere NFL fans are - and our plan is designed to do just that,” Bud Light’s Todd Allen emphasizes. In other words, Bud Light is playing offense this season: embracing its role as a joyous enabler of football fandom in hopes of converting that goodwill into renewed sales and brand strength.

Marketing leaders in the alcohol sector will be watching closely to see if this back-to-basics, fan-centric approach pays off. If Bud Light’s gambit is successful, it could offer a roadmap for how heritage brands can recover from missteps by reconnecting with their core consumers’ passions. As the 2025 football season unfolds with Peyton Manning’s parachute landing and countless fans raising team-branded cans in backyard tailgates, Bud Light is betting that a return to fun and fundamentals is exactly what the moment calls for - and maybe, just maybe, anything for Bud Light will once again become a unifying cheer among beer drinkers.