Anheuser-Busch makes TV ads based on its 'Real Men of Genius' radio commercials
By THOMAS LEE
Post-Dispatch

11/12/2003

Radio commercials are hardly the stuff of pop-culture buzz these days, not with
television and the Internet blasting away at consumers.

So it comes as a bit of a surprise that one of Anheuser-Busch Cos.'
longest-running - and most honored - ad campaigns never made it to the small
screen. Until now.

The St. Louis-based brewer recently opened the first of what will be several TV
versions of its "Real Men of Genius" radio commercials for Bud Light. A-B
executives say they hope to translate the series' extraordinary popularity on
the radio into the company's next big TV campaign, just in time for
sports-heavy fall and winter schedules.

Since its debut four years ago, "Real Men of Genius" has earned plenty of
laughs and nearly every major advertising award.

The 30-second spots feature an over-the-top, 1980s-style rock ballad
sung by David Bickler, the former lead singer of "Survivor." Bickler's
rendition of "Eye of the Tiger" was the anthem of the popular movie "Rocky
III."

The campaign originally was called "Real American Heroes," but the name was
changed after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The spots spoof old-fashioned beer commercials that saluted the hard-working
little guy, said John Immesoete, group creative director of DDB Chicago, which
created the campaign.

"Real Men of Genius" singles out "people who make our lives better" in the most
subtle ways, Immesoete said. They include Mr. Bowling Shoe Giver Outer, Mr.
Giant Foam Finger Inventor, Mr. Losing Locker Room Reporter, Mr. All You Can
Eat Buffet Inventor and Mr. Restroom Toilet Paper Refiller.

What makes the spots so appealing is smart writing that "finds sort of a unique
individual observation that sits in the back of your head but you don't
necessarily think about," said Marc Kempter, managing director of Core, an
advertising agency in St. Louis that has done work for rival Miller Brewing Co.

In the Mr. Fancy Coffee Shop Coffee Pourer spot, a voice asks: "What do you do
with a master's degree in art history? You get a nose ring and pour coffee for
a living," and "Why is it called a latte? Maybe because it costs a latte and it
takes a latte time to make."
Immesoete said he and his group of writers often find inspiration in real life.
For instance, he noticed dieters in the cafeteria of his building put "tons of
guacamole" on their taco salads. The result: Mr. Giant Taco Salad Inventor.

"You may ask if this is healthy," the commercial says. "Of course it is. It's a
salad, isn't it?"

Recent spots have taken a "What were you thinking?" tone, Immesoete said, such
as Mr. Really Bad Toupee Wearer and Mr. Tiny Thong Bikini Wearer.

As for the music, DDB Chicago approached Sandy Torano, a musician and producer,
to write a "cheesy '80s song." Torano immediately thought of Bickler.

"David Bickler is a friend of mine," said Torano, who owns Scandal Music in
Chicago. "I told them, 'If you are going do an '80s parody, why don't you get
the real thing?'"

Bickler, he said, was a good sport.

"Real Men of Genius" has spawned a mini-following of sorts. Recordings of the
music are offered for sale on eBay. Several fans have designed Web sites.

The campaign has flourished partly because it stands out against other radio
commercials, which tend to be loud and in-your-face, said Bob Lachky, A-B's
vice president of brand management.

"Radio is the most misused medium in advertising," he said. Radio ads "are
typically not done well."

And that's a shame, Lachky said, because radio allows listeners "to have a
theater of the mind. There is a lot you could do with pacing, timing and sound
effects. You're asking the consumer to be involved."

Which makes turning "Real Men of Genius" into TV spots even more risky, said
Kempter, at Core. The spots work on radio because people use their
imaginations, he said.

So far, A-B has made Mr. Footlong Hot Dog Vendor and Mr. Really Bad Toupee
Wearer into TV spots.

However, Kempter said, for the toupee commercial, "there was nothing that
visuals brought to the table."

Immesoete disagrees. He acknowledges that some "Real Men of Genius" bits are
better radio commercials, but he said television offers fresh possibilities.
For instance, the toupee commercial showed the reactions of attractive women to
a bad toupee, Immesoete said.

A-B has high hopes for "Real Men of Genius." The brewery might use some of the
commercials for its Super Bowl lineup, Immesoete said. "TV gives it a whole new
life."