Michelob ULTRA pledges gender balance in its ad creative, lifestyle media inventory, talent endorsements, sponsorships, and influencer roster by 2025.
The commitment is made alongside the launch of a new campaign which encourages people to join in helping increase the visibility of female athletes, by asking fans to ‘Save It, See It’ on social media.
As one of the top selling beer brands in the country, Michelob ULTRA believes that every athlete deserves to experience an equal level of joy in sports. But women’s sports don’t always receive the same level of coverage in the media, which is a critical factor in ensuring that female athletes are paid equally. That’s why Michelob ULTRA is committing $100 million over the next five years to increase visibility for women’s sports through:
- Dedicating 50% of its lifestyle media inventory to content that features and promotes female athletes and women’s sports by 2025
- Representing female and male athletes equally in all advertising creative moving forward.
- Ensuring equal representation of female and male athletes on Team ULTRA talent and influencer roster
Michelob ULTRA’s commitment today reinforces the brand’s efforts over the past 18+ months as it has sought to elevate female athletes. By becoming the official beer sponsor of the WNBA, among other athletic organizations with strong female representation, and increasing female representation on the Team ULTRA talent and influencer roster by signing athletes like Serena Williams and Alex Morgan, the brand has taken steps to help promote women’s sports. Now, Michelob ULTRA is taking its commitment to elevating female athletes even further.
“Michelob ULTRA is proud to be a longtime partner of female athletes and organizations, and as a leader in both the beer and sports marketing industries, there’s so much more we can do to help support equal pay when it comes to women’s sports,” said Ricardo Marques, Vice President of Marketing, Michelob ULTRA. “We need to set the example, and the time for equality has always been now. Our commitment demonstrates Michelob ULTRA’s core belief that female athletes deserve an equal experience, whether they’re on the court, in the newsroom or on our TV screens.”
To encourage people across the U.S. to join in helping increase the visibility of female athletes, Michelob ULTRA is asking fans to “Save It, See It.” Starting on Women’s Equality Day, August 26, Michelob ULTRA will advocate for greater equality and enjoyment in sports by encouraging people to hit “save” on women’s sports highlights on social media. Tapping the save ribbon on content featuring female athletes is a first step in creating more visibility in women’s sports. The more people hit save, the more they’ll see women’s sports.
This campaign is inspired by ULTRA’s superstar roster of female athletes who have built their careers on bringing awareness and equality to women’s sports. No one knows the issues better than the athletes themselves, and so Michelob ULTRA is proud to partner with three dynamic athletes:
- Nneka Ogwumike, WNBPA President and a leading voice for women athlete representation
- CeCe Telfer, the first openly transgender female athlete to win a NCAA title and impactful LGBTQ+ advocate.
- Andraya Carter, basketball analyst, reporter, former NCAA athlete and champion of inclusivity.
All three of these exceptional athletes and advocates emphasize the depth of joy that can be experienced when equality is achieved. And, to coincide with Michelob ULTRA’s latest program and celebration of female athletes, they are launching an emotive commercial, featuring Ogwumike, Telfer and Carter, that exemplifies the magnitude of impact that female athletes have had and will continue to have on the sports world.
“It’s not just about making a statement today,” says Nneka Ogwumike, President of the WNBA Players Association. “It’s also about setting goals and taking actionable steps toward gender equality on and off the court, which is why I’m proud to be a partner of Michelob ULTRA and will continue to support their commitment to women’s sports equality.”
While the brand is just getting started, Michelob ULTRA is committed to standing shoulder to shoulder with the female athletes on its roster, and women’s sports more broadly, in the movement toward gender equality in sports.
About Michelob ULTRA
Introduced in 2002, Michelob ULTRA is currently the fastest growing beer brand in the United States by share and the No. 2 beer in the industry by dollar sales. With just 95 calories, 2.6 carbs and no artificial flavors or colors, it is a superior light beer that celebrates the active, balanced lifestyle of its drinkers that includes both fitness and fun. Michelob ULTRA’s choice of grains and extended mashing process leads to its refreshing taste and fewer carbohydrates. It is brewed with the finest barley malt, rice, hops, and a pure-cultured yeast strain, all of which reflect Anheuser-Busch’s commitment to brewing quality. Michelob ULTRA reminds you to always drink, and sweat, responsibly.
About Anheuser-Busch
For more than 160 years, Anheuser-Busch has carried on a legacy of brewing great-tasting, high-quality beers that have satisfied beer drinkers for generations. Today, we own and operate more than 120 facilities, including breweries, wholesaler distribution centers, agricultural facilities and packaging plants, and have more than 19,000 colleagues across the United States. We are home to several of America’s most recognizable beer brands, including Budweiser, Bud Light, Michelob ULTRA and Stella Artois, as well as a number of regional brands that provide beer drinkers with a choice of the best-tasting craft beers in the industry. From responsible drinking programs and emergency drinking water donations to industry-leading sustainability efforts, we are guided by our unwavering commitment to supporting the communities we call home. For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com or follow Anheuser-Busch on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
SOURCE Michelob ULTRA
Rod Washington: Rod is a blogger, writer, filmmaker, photographer, daydreamer who likes to cook. Rod produces and directs the web series, CUPIC: Diary of an Investigator. He also produces news and documentary video projects. Check out his podcast StoriesThisMoment at https://m3e.d71.myftpupload.com/stm-tncn-podcasts/
