Hold my beer, Apple fans.
Busch brewery on Monday introduced a limited edition beer called Busch Light Apple along with a commercial (see below) that parodies the high-profile events held by tech giant Apple to unveil its iPhones and iPads. Apple’s unabashed self-promotion and innovation-speak during its events make them ripe for mockery.
In its ad, Busch’s mascot, Busch Guy, a bearded man in jeans and a flannel shirt—spiffed up for the occasion in a sport coat—steps onto an all-black stage and bows to an effusive crowd. He describes Busch as “a thought leader for cutting edge innovations” while holding a slideshow presentation clicker.
“Today, after decades of honing the perfect module, we’re making the biggest leap in modern refreshment since our revolutionary Busch Bavarian,” says Busch Guy.
“Meet our newest product,” Busch Guy continues, calling it a “groundbreaking advancement in beerology.” The audience cheers at the reveal as it invariably does for upgraded iPhone software, new Apple Watches and next-generation Mac computers.
Busch posted the Apple-ribbing promotion across social media, including on YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook after teasing it last week.
Many of Busch’s limited edition runs are merely cosmetic. In recent years the brewery put out can redesigns featuring the Big Buck Hunter video game, corn, and a tongue-in-cheek Busch Latte.
Busch Light Apple is, on the other hand, a new drink. The brew is a crisp, Apple-flavored light lager. (Note: It’s not a cider.)
Busch says its beer will be available in across nearly half of the U.S. Through October. People can visit the “find a store” search page on Busch’s website to find out which locations will carry the drink.
At the end of its Apple-jabbing ad, Busch Guy explodes from his temporary nerdiness by tearing off his sleeves and cracking open a can. The head of a bear growls in the background, a nod to the typical testosterone-heavy imagery of beer commercials. (The closest thing during an Apple event is a 3D technology that transforms executives’s faces into pandas.)
Even teetotalers can appreciate the irreverence.