Real Men of Genius
| Agency | DDB Chicago |
|---|---|
| Client | Anheuser-Busch |
| Language | English |
| Media | radio, TV |
| Running time | 60″ (US radio and UK TV) 30″ (US TV) |
| Product | |
| Release date(s) | 1998 (US radio) 2001 (UK TV) 2003 (US TV) |
| Directed by | Tom Schiller, Tom Kuntz & Mike Maguire, Noam Murro, Greg Popp & John Immesoete |
| Music by | Sam Stryke & Sandy Torano, Scandal Music, Chicago |
| Starring |
|
| Production company |
Coppos Films, Propaganda Films, Biscuit Filmworks, Partizan |
| Country |
 United States United Kingdom
|
Real Men of Genius is a series of advertisements, primarily 60-second American radio spots, for Bud Light beer. The campaign was originally conceived by copywriter Bob Winter and art director Mark Gross – and co-created with copywriter Bill Cimino – at DDB Chicago.
The campaign began in 1998 under the title Real American Heroes with 12 radio spots. Over 200 installments have been made. In 2001, the radio version was adapted for television in the UK, advertising Budweiser beer instead of Bud Light (Bud Light is not officially distributed in the UK). The six UK TV spots maintained the same one-minute format and ran for about 18 months. In fall 2003, thirty-second versions of three UK TV spots were edited and seven new ads were produced for US television.
Anheuser-Busch is reported to have spent $38 million per year airing just the radio version.
The singing was done by Dave Bickler, the lead singer of the band Survivor, known for such songs as "Eye of the Tiger" from the 1980s. The humorous, yet seriously spoken, commentary was done by voice actor Peter Stacker. Together, they made an appearance on the television show WGN Morning News and did a Real Men of Genius about the cameraman, which was a parody saying he falls asleep behind the video camera while recording the show.
Each sixty-second ad gives mock glorification in the form of a tribute to men in overlooked professions or with humorous or eccentric traits or habits. The language is very observational in style, in part parodying Budweiser's earlier This Bud's for You campaign.
The advertisement is set to 1980s style anthemic music. The announcer (Pete Stacker) reads the mock tribute . Humour in part is derived from juxtaposing over-the-top vocals sung by Dave Bickler. Sometimes these vocals are augmented by a female gospel-style chorus.
In addition to providing humor, the music is an effective jingle.
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Wikipedia