Why Did Budweiser Get Rid Of The Puppies?

I am an extremely fair weather sports fan, but I can still get hyped and enjoy big events, like the Super Bowl, just as much as the next guy or gal. That's mostly in part to the obscenely amazing commercials that air during it. I know, I know. Be more specific, Caitlyn. The commercials I'm really referring to are the Budweiser commercials which used to feature my favorite thing on Earth: puppies. But, they don't anymore. So, why did Budweiser get rid of the puppies in their Super Bowl ads?

If you want to know why they went ixnay on the dogs, simply put, it's because they're a business, and puppies aren't good for businesses. Well, let me rephrase that. Puppies aren't good for businesses who are trying to sell something with no correlation to puppies whatsoever. According to Super Bowl Commericals 2016, the puppy commercials are out because, "As beloved as they are, the ads don't sell beer." This is essentially the Super Bowl equivalent to, "Stop trying to make fetch happen! It's not going to happen!" But, oh man, how much I wish "fetch" had happened in this instance.

We can't blame them for giving up on the pups. After all, advertisements are meant to sell products, and if snuggling up with a golden retriever isn't selling the product then you need a new advertisement. The thing is, Budweiser found other strategies that worked way better. As the Vice President of Marketing for Anheuser-Busch InBev, Jorn Socquet, told Ad Age,

...Budweiser aired two very different spots in last February's Super Bowl, and we learned that content focused on the quality of our beer was most effective in generating sales. Starting with our 'Brewed the Hard Way' ad in last year's game and throughout 2015, our marketing has featured a bold, confident voice that speaks directly to Budweiser drinkers, and sales trends have improved as a result. We'll continue this tone in Super Bowl 50, and we're excited to explore new creative territory.

Can't argue with logic, folks, and Socquet dished out a heaping plate of it. Puppies don't woo potential beer drinkers, a frightening but true statistic. Look on the bright side. Sure, the puppies may be gone from the Budweiser Super Bowl commercials, but now they have more "me" time. With their schedules cleared, maybe the puppylebrities can go on a soul searching solo trip through Europe. Maybe they'll go back to obedience school and get that degree they always wanted. Maybe they'll settle down somewhere and have puppies of their own one day, out of the spotlight. Either way, it looks as though puppies, as a species, and Budweiser have at least amicably parted ways. It was nice while it lasted, though.

You can check out Budweiser's 2016 Super Bowl commercial below.

Image: WallStreetJournal/YouTube