Ad spots for the US’ biggest televised sporting event, the Super Bowl, are extremely valuable. Companies stand to reach millions of eyeballs as viewers tune in to see the likes of Beyonce or Justin Timberlake perform. Oh, and there’s the American version of rugby on, too. 

US beer company Budweiser’s quirky ads are a Super Bowl staple. But this year, Budweiser’s parent company AB InBev will donate some of its ad budget to NPOs countering Covid-19 vaccine skepticism. That includes the R83 million it would have spent on the coveted ad slot. Meanwhile, everyone’s favourite country singer, Dolly Parton, who donated millions to finding a Covid-19 vaccine, said she won’t “jump the line” to get one. Like the classy icon she is, she said she’ll wait in line just like everyone else. Closer to home, sort of, SA-born businessman Johann Rupert got his shot in Switzerland recently. He faced backlash for skipping the queue but said it was all for a good cause – showing the public that the vaccine is safe. We hope to see other brands taking up the baton and doing their bit to end the pandemic.

This brief was originally published in The Wrap here.

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