In 2016, Michelob ULTRA was a light beer facing some heavy realities. Light beer sales were steadily declining as consumers started turning toward a burgeoning class of beers that emphasized craft and quality, as well as the better-for-you world of hard seltzers. Michelob ULTRA provided consumers with great reasons to believe in their light beer attributes of 95 calories and 2.6 carbs. But it lacked the cultural cachet and a higher brand purpose to give them something they could truly believe in.

The problem: Michelob ULTRA was just another “diet” beer that lacked cultural relevance.

We needed to find a way to not only make the light beer category relevant again, but also to establish Michelob ULTRA as the superior choice. But with brand perception at an all-time low and a largely skeptical consumer base, the challenge was especially daunting — from both a strategic and a creative standpoint.