At PGA Tour events across the US, it’s common to see a sea of cell phones in the air behind players teeing off, each trying to capture that one great shot of a professional golfer. But this past spring, a picture of Tiger Woods teeing off began to go viral because the front-center spectator behind him was simply enjoying the moment while everyone around him was swarming for a photo. Spectators got a kick out of seeing something that stands out from the norm. Mark’s picture was picking up chatter online – but how could ULTRA take this moment and transform it from a fleeting online laugh, into a viral moment in golf culture? Even more importantly – how could we bring Michelob ULTRA to the center of the narrative?

Interesting stories trend up or down on social in a matter of minutes. Mark’s picture picked up chatter online, but how could ULTRA take this moment and transform it from a fleeting online laugh, into a viral moment in golf culture? More importantly, how could Michelob ULTRA be the center of the narrative? Once we realized Mark was taking in the moment with a Michelob ULTRA in hand, we knew we'd have to act fast. Within 48 hours, Michelob ULTRA released a Digital Commercial immortalizing him as Mark, The Michelob Guy. Mark was signed to a merchandise deal, sent to a PGA event the next weekend, and became a global and cultural icon.

We wanted to capture the attention of fans who resonate with The Michelob Guy’s embodiment of, It’s Only Worth It If You Enjoy It, by creating an authentic campaign that moves with the current of a moment.

When a brand quickly + authentically moves with the current of a cultural moment, consumers praise them for their wit and treat them less like a corporate brand, and more like a real voice in the conversation. Michelob ULTRA wanted to do just that with Michelob Guy. ULTRA wanted to target adults 28+ who are golf fans and enjoy an active lifestyle. We particularly set out to capture attention of fans who would resonate with The Michelob Guy’s embodiment of, “It’s Only Worth It If You Enjoy It.”

Once Mark’s picture began to spread on social, we quickly got to work. Within 48 hours, Michelob ULTRA released a Digital Commercial immortalizing him as Mark, The Michelob Guy. While our video spread like wildfire (Most shared ULTRA post in previous 12 months), we teased out can mocks with Mark’s face on them, built custom Michelob Guy trade materials for regions in the country hosting PGA tour events, and launched The Michelob Guy shoppible merch line (our shirts became AB’s #1 grossing merch item for 2022 in 24 hours). A mere 6 days after The Michelob Guy’s rise to fame, we had Mark on a plane to the next PGA Tour event in Illinois where he posed for pictures, interacted with fans, and spread our brand message of It’s Only Worth It If You Enjoy It. The best part? The well-thought-out viral moment cost $0 on production or media support.

Thanks to quick, creative thinking – Michelob ULTRA was able to position Michelob Guy as a spokesman for our ‘It’s Only Worth It If You Enjoy It’ mindset, and authentically capture the love + attention of fans nationwide. The well-thought-out viral moment cost $0 on production or media support.

Earned Media – 4.9M Earned Impressions, 35+ PR Headlines, 250M PR Impressions with zero outreach

Engagement – 30K Organic Social Mentions, 663K organic video views

All-In Budget - $500 for Mark’s travel accommodations ($0 spent on production or media amplification)