Gigantic Kenny G Jazzes Up Busch Light's Local Super Bowl Ad

By now, everyone knows the halftime gods mysteriously—nay, tragically!—passed over Kenny G for the headline slot at Super Bowl 56’s halftime show. But fear not, G-fans. The smooth sax master will make a splash at the Big Game anyway.

Behold, and tremble, as “Giant Kenny G” fills the sky and wails away on Busch Light’s “Head for the Mountains” theme-song in this self-consciously schlocky :30 from the Martin Agency:

“More than 40 years ago, ‘It’s cold and it’s smooth, and it’s waiting for you’ launched Busch Light’s jingle into the hearts and minds of beer fans,” says Daniel Blake, group VP at brand parent AB InBev. “When the time came to revive that iconic jingle, there was only one person smooth enough for the job.”

But Michael Bolton wasn’t available, so G-Man got the call.

Kidding, of course! Everyone busts Kenny’s chops, right? But he ranks among the biggest-selling acts of all time, with worldwide sales of 75 million. So, let’s show the guy some respect. Colossal K, you’re chiller than an ice shanty on a Minnesota Lake. Pop some Busch Light and polish those gold discs and Grammys!

“Busch Light is about smoothness and refreshment, and if you’re familiar with my work, it should be pretty clear why this partnership works so beautifully,” KG says in a statement. “I’m excited for the fans to hear my sax on it and hope they can enjoy the spot with a cold Busch Light in hand on game day.”

The spot will air in 41 markets. There’s a sweepstakes, too. Fans tweeting @buschbeer using #mountainofbusch and #sweepstakes can score prizes and possibly win what’s described as “a mountain’s worth of Busch Light.”

Kudos to Martin for simply slapping Kenny’s head in the clouds. It’s simple and silly and mildly subversive in its way, eschewing bloated production values for a pithy musical pitch that feels on brand for both advertiser and artist.

The agency famously leveraged old-school beats in last year’s “Scoop! There It Is” campaign for Geico, which updated ’90s rap duo Tag Team for the contemporary cultural conversation.

CREDITS

Martin Agency Full Creative Credits:
Danny Robinson, Chief Creative Officer
Jerry Hoak, Executive Creative Director
Mike Kelley – Creative Director
Dustin Dodd – Associate Creative Director 
Graham Unterberger – Associate Creative Director
David Gibson – Copywriter/CD
Mauricio Mazzariol – Art Director/ACD
Tasha Dean, EVP / Head of Production 
Tricia Hoover, VP / Executive Producer
Derek Meyer – Content Producer II
Dusty Slovik –  SVP, Director of Business, Legal And Financial Affairs
Kevin Llewelyn – Financial Affairs Manager
Chuka Schneider – SVP, Group Account Director
Kelsey Johnson – Account Director
Lea Chastine – Account Supervisor 
Sandra Snead – Group Project Management Supervisor 
Kirk Luo – Planning Director 

Live Action Shoot – MJZ
The Perlorians – Directors
Toby Irwin – Director of Photography
Sue Tebut – Production Designer
Eriks Krumins – Executive Producer
Josh Porter – Line Producer

Product Shoot (End Card) – The Kaplans
Joyce Mills – Executive Producer
Sam & Laura Kaplan – Directors

Editorial – HutchCo
Jim Hutchins – Editor
Austin Hickman-Fain – Assistant Editor
Jane Hutchins – Executive Producer

Finishing / VFX – The Mill
Executive Producer: Adam Reeb
Producer: Francesca Moran
2D Leads: Jay Bandlish, Tamir Sapir
3D Lead: Chris Bayol
Colorist: Paul Yacono

Music / Sound Design / Mix – Overcoast
Producer – Colin Beckett
Creative Director – J.L. Hodges
Audio Mix – Matt Whitworth