Post by Philip Tate, APR, Fellow PRSA

Budweiser's "Go Fourth, America" effort taps into nostalgia for "Independence Day" as the 25th anniversary of the film's release nears. Several brands have embraced nostalgia for classic movies over the past few years to craft blockbuster ads that feature actors reprising iconic roles, including Jeep ("Groundhog Day"), Ford ("National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation") and DieHard batteries ("Diehard"). In Budweiser's effort, Bill Pullman — billed as "America's Favorite Former President" — reworks his iconic pre-battle speech to allude to the pandemic and the country's vaccination rollout, rather than alien invaders. The message of the video is one of unity between Americans — whether they drive a pickup or a hybrid, live in the heartland or the coast, or pronounce it "America" or "Amurica" — encouraging them to "come together to lend a hand to those less fortunate." While it never mentions the pandemic or vaccines, Pullman's speech alludes to working together so "everyone can come to the party" after a year of separation. https://buff.ly/2UNmo5J via @marketingdive