What is “California Sober”? What the Research Says
You might have heard someone describe themselves as “California sober” and wondered what, exactly, they're sober from. Usually,...
Every year, the Super Bowl delivers more than touchdowns and halftime shows. It also brings a blitz of beer commercials. But behind the goofy celebrity cameos lies a deeper strategy: these beer ads are selling not just beer, but also experiences, emotions, and even identities.
Let’s peel back the layers of what’s really happening during these high-budget beer commercials and how they influence drinking habits, often without us even realizing it.
Watch The Related Podcast
The Psychology Behind Super Bowl Beer Ads
According to FinTech, Americans are estimated to drink over 325 million gallons of beer on Super Bowl Sunday alone. That staggering number is partly the result of decades of strategic alcohol marketing. Beer brands have made themselves synonymous with America’s biggest game, and their ads are crafted to reinforce the idea that a Super Bowl party isn’t complete without a cold one.
These ads aren’t just about selling beer. They also promise social connection, stress relief, spontaneity, and even status.
The “Fit” Beer
In one of this year’s standout ads, Michelob Ultra featured a high-energy pickleball tournament with stars like Catherine O’Hara and Willem Dafoe besting younger pro athletes. The message? Drinking Michelob Ultra is compatible with a fit, active lifestyle.
Marketing Tactics at Play:
- Association with athleticism: Aligning with sports suggests that beer can be part of a healthy lifestyle.
- Age inclusivity: The idea that staying active—and drinking—is ageless.
- Guilt reduction: The “healthy” imagery makes the product feel like a fine choice.
The Takeaway: The ad works by resolving cognitive dissonance. It makes drinking beer feel like a virtuous act when paired with fitness.
Moments That Matter
One Stella Artois spot featured David Beckham and Matt Damon in a cross-continental family reunion, united by a pint of Stella Artois. It was heartfelt, polished, and emotionally charged.
Marketing Tactics at Play:
- Emotional storytelling: Nostalgia, family bonds, and heartfelt moments evoke strong feelings.
- Status signaling: Celebrities and refined aesthetics suggest Stella is a premium, sophisticated choice.
- Social bonding: The beer acts as a symbol of connection.
The Takeaway: Stella equals a lifestyle of elevated relationships and taste.
The Instant Party Starter
Post Malone and comedian Shane Gillis turn a dull cul-de-sac gathering into a raging party with one key ingredient: Bud Light. Leaf blowers shoot beer cans, and NFL legend Peyton Manning even drops by.
Marketing Tactics at Play:
- FOMO & fun: The ad implies beer brings people together and creates spontaneous fun.
- Beer as invitation: Alcohol is positioned as the key to socializing and inclusion.
- Nostalgia: Backyard parties, lawn chairs, and carefree vibes tap into simpler times.
The Takeaway: This ad reinforces the message that to have fun, or even to be included, you need a case of Bud Light.
Chill Out with a Cold One
Animated sloths dragging through a terrible Monday find solace in a 12-pack of Coors Light. It’s cheeky and relatable.
Marketing Tactics at Play:
- Stress relief: The drink is shown as a way to unwind and cope with everyday struggles.
- Humor as distraction: Lighthearted animation makes the message more palatable.
- Emotional resonance: We’ve all had those “case of the Mondays” moments.
The Takeaway: Coors is selling relaxation as a remedy to stress. The way to get there, of course, is beer.
Liquid Death: Flipping the Script
Liquid Death, a canned water brand, mocked traditional beer commercials with an over-the-top ad featuring judges and pilots chugging water in rebellious fashion. The tagline: “Don’t be scared. It’s just water.”
Marketing Tactics at Play:
- Parody and shock: Mimicking beer ad tropes exposes how absurd some of them really are.
- Cultural critique: It challenges why drinking water isn’t treated with the same social prestige as beer.
- Cool factor: Water is repositioned as edgy and countercultural.
The Takeaway: Liquid Death breaks the mold, proving you can still have the fun and the vibe without the alcohol.
The Beer Ad Playbook
The beer ads above follow a predictable, psychological formula designed to embed alcohol into our emotional and social lives.
- Beer = Social Connection
You’re not just drinking; you’re bonding. - Beer = Stress Relief
Bad day? Alcohol is framed as the fix. - Beer = Fun and Spontaneity
If you’re drinking, the party is happening. - Beer = Status and Identity
Your beer of choice says something about who you are.
And while these messages can be funny or entertaining, they also reinforce deep-seated cultural beliefs that make cutting back on alcohol more complicated than it needs to be.
The Mindful Drinking Perspective
Super Bowl beer ads might be entertaining, but they also deserve a second look. They’re powerful examples of behavioral psychology in action, and understanding their influence is a big step toward drinking more mindfully.
Next time you see a beer commercial, ask yourself:
- What feeling is this ad trying to sell me?
- Is it something I can access without alcohol?
- Am I being influenced more than I realize?
Awareness of these tactics doesn’t mean you have to skip the ads. It means you can watch them with your eyes wide open.
Mindful drinking starts with awareness—and continues with intention. At Sunnyside, we help you build a healthier relationship with alcohol on your own terms. Whether you want to drink less, take breaks, or simply gain more control, we’re here to support your journey.
Start your 15-day free trial atsunnyside.co and take the first step toward drinking more intentionally, Super Bowl or not.
What is Sunnyside?
Sunnyside is a mindful drinking and alcohol moderation app that can help change your habits around alcohol using a proven, science-backed method. Whether you want to become a more mindful drinker, drink less, or eventually quit drinking, Sunnyside can help you reach your goals. We take a positive, friendly approach to habit change, so you never feel judged or pressured to quit.
When you join Sunnyside, you’ll start by completing a 3-minute private assessment so we can learn a bit about you. Once that’s done, you’ll get a 15-day free trial to test out everything, including our daily habit change tools, tracking and analytics, community and coaching, and education and resources. It’s a full package designed specifically to adapt to your goals and help you reach them gradually, so you can make a huge impact on your health and well-being.
Sunnyside is a digital habit and behavior-change program that is incredibly effective on its own, but can also be the perfect complement to other work you’re doing to cut down on drinking, whether that includes talk therapy or medication such as Naltrexone.
Get your 15-day free trial of Sunnyside today, and start living your healthiest life.
