• by Fern Siegel , February 1, 2022

Anheuser-Busch’s Budweiser beer sat on the sidelines in the 2021 Super Bowl, but it’s back this year. Also in the mix for the big game Feb. 13 are three others: Busch Light, Michelob Ultra Pure Gold and Stella Artois.

Of note, Busch Light and Grammy-winning jazz saxophonist Kenny G team for a new spot, which uses the vintage song “Head for the Mountains.” The 1979 jingle was part of a Busch campaign and featured cowboys enjoying beer in a sepia-toned rural setting.

Now, an interracial, male-female group of beer lovers tout Busch Light, while singing the same song — “it’s cold and it’s smooth, and it’s waiting for you.” This round, however, has an added twist: “Every time you crack open a Busch Light, the mountains start singing.”

Daniel Blake, group vice president, Budweiser & Value at Anheuser-Busch, said: “When the time came to revive that iconic jingle, there was only one person smooth enough for the job, American jazz saxophonist, and one of the best-selling artists of all time, Kenny G.”

The Busch Light spot airs in 41 markets. In scale, this is a national effort for Busch Light, dialed into the strongest markets where the brand resonates most, such as its hometown of St. Louis, Nashville, Buffalo, Milwaukee and Kansas City.

The creative is from The Martin Agency.

The cost of the Busch Light ad was not disclosed. NBC has been asking between $5.8 and $6.5 million for a 30-second slot.

Ads for Bud Light Next, a zero-carb spinoff, and Bud Light Seltzer Hard Soda will also air at the Super Bowl.

Anheuser-Busch In Bev and Molson Coors Beverage Company continue to dominate the category. Together, it accounts for a combined 63% of the North American beer market, notes 24/7 Wall Street. Bud Light shipped 27.2 million barrels in 2019 — and sales of the top three brands exceeded 53 million, reports Beer Marketer’s Insights.

Deutsch NY created the classic “Head for the Mountains” spot.