Why The Song In Busch Light's Super Bowl 2023 Commercial Should Sound Familiar
The pressure to be the best advertisement at the Super Bowl constantly grows every year. How can you make your brand stand out from the rest? This is the million-dollar question companies have to ask as the Super Bowl rolls around. Literally, a million-dollar question, because NBC reports that, in 2022, a 30-second commercial cost $6.5 million. To get the most bang for their buck, companies pull out all the stops. It's critical for companies to leave a lasting impression on viewers, so the next time they go shopping for a brand, they choose theirs.
There are probably several brands that come to mind when you think of iconic Super Bowl ads. Budweiser, Pepsi, Busch Light, and Amazon have solidified themselves as top dogs with their commercials. They have created memorable advertisements that many people are able to recall to this day.
Adding to the new commercials for this year's Super Bowl, Busch Light has just released its ad ahead of the big game. The company has seen significant increases in its sales these past several years, per IRI (via Forbes). From 2017 to 2021 alone, the company grew 27%. While they have a notable celebrity in their ad, it's actually the song used in the commercial that will definitely grab viewers' attention.
Sarah McLachlan song Angel used in Busch Light commercial
Between the game, halftime show, and other commercials, it can be difficult for a company to have viewers pay attention to their ad. While different tactics are used, there's no better way to grab consumers' attention than through music, per Save The Music. If someone recognizes a song, they will instantly look at the screen to see why it's being played. Busch Light recognizes the impact music can have and used it to its advantage.
The company dropped a 30-second commercial ahead of the 2023 Super Bowl, and it's definitely memorable. The ad begins with the "Busch guy" explaining some necessary survival skills from "The Busch Guide." The Busch guy says, "Three things are required in the great outdoors: food, drink, and shelter." Suddenly, musician Sarah McLachlan pops out of the tent as her track "Angel" begins to play. The song notoriously played in the 2007 ASPCA advertising as photos and videos of shelter animals looking sad and terrified crossed the screen, per Forbes. The lyrics, "In the arms of the angel / Fly away from here," are ingrained in nearly everyone's brain.
However, Busch is poking fun at the iconic commercial. As McLachlan begins her speech on how you can "help helpless animals find shelter," the Busch guy quickly puts an end to the singer's speech. He says, "Wrong shelter, Sarah." The creative ad and the music behind it are sure to bring back nostalgia and quickly capture audiences.
How Sarah McLachlan feels about the commercial
Whether Sarah McLachlan realized it at the time or not, her song would become famous for being associated with the ASPCA commercials. The song "Angel" can easily be recognized by many and, apparently, so was she.
McLachlan revealed to video blog "Makers" (via People) in 2015 that she even would get recognized for participating in the commercials. "I swear I'd be at Target in Missouri at 10 o'clock at night getting off the tour bus and I'd be going down the aisle and these two little old ladies would be like, 'Are you that dog lady? I love that song!" she said. "Daily. Daily, this would happen." McLachlan's song and heartbreaking commercial for the shelter animals worked. The commercial helped raise over 30 million dollars for the ASPCA foundation, according to the New York Times. But how does the singer feel about it now that she is making fun of the commercial?
According to Forbes, the musician was more than happy to participate in the Busch Light parody. She said, "I love that they asked me to participate in the ad, particularly for the opportunity to spoof the ASPCA ad, a cause which is very close to my heart." McLachlan, who is a very giving person, is glad to see that Busch Light is giving back as well. She revealed, "They're giving to One Tree Planted which is a great environmental organization which helps all of us and animals in particular."