After a successful re-launch of their iconic ‘wassup’ campaign with D-Nice, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, as well a revamped audio track of the original 1999 spot, Budweiser has unveiled another contemporary and timely version of its commercial as a reminder for America to prioritize check-ins with loved ones as the country endures unprecedented social isolation to combat Covid-19.
The original ‘wassup’ ad rose to pop culture prominence in 1999, creating a widely-used catchphrase that manifested itself in different corners of culture and achieved industry-wide acclaim. Now, Budweiser was compelled to bring back the commercial for today’s times as the country comes to grips with uncertain periods of isolation.
The new spot is part of a broader PSA that features weekday programming across Budweiser’s digital platforms to encourage check-ins with family and friends. The campaign was created by VaynerMedia.
“I love the re-purposing of the original ‘whassup!’ spot. Charles and I always knew it would someday be repurposed for a national emergency,” Chicago’s The Escape Pod Executive Creative Director and founder and creator of the original campaign, Vinny Warren told Reel 360.
The campaign’s second episode is kind of a “girls’ night in,” featuring Gabrielle Union, joined by husband Wade, and fellow actors Issa Rae, Yvonne Orji, Emmy Raver-Lampman and Broadway star Daveed Diggs. Watch below:
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“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,” said Monica Rustgi, vice president of marketing for Budweiser. “In times like these, something as simple as a hello, or in this case ‘wassup,’ 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.”
Everyday at 6:00 PM EST, Budweiser will be offering its community the chance to say “wassup” through a host of interactive activations on its social platforms. This is headlined by “wassup” live chats every Thursday via Instagram Live on @BudweiserUSA where different celebrities will check in while having a Bud and answering questions submitted by fans.
SOURCE: Budweiser
