Searsly Spuhghetti

By Eddie Spuhghetti


Beer commercials back in the day were known to be a bit more theatrical and interesting.  Sometimes it would be just some dude in a plaid shirt clocking out after work and heading to the local watering hole with his buds; inside, they'd be celebrating how great their cheap domestic beer tastes and that it's the only one for them.  Odd time, you'd come across a commercial with a bigger budget that allowed for more creativity: a movie tie-in or celebrity endorsement, to even mainstream bands performing a unique song about the brew.  Now-days, we're too politically correct: this sorta thing wouldn't fly and you wouldn't see a popular group promote an alcoholic beverage on national television.  You also wouldn't see as batshit insane of a beer commercial as this.

"This Bud's For You" was an ad campaign throughout the '80s that started off using blue-collar joes raising their glass high in the air and saluting their common man with a Bud.  The ad managed to evolve itself and was placed into the hands of various celebrities: sports stars, actors, and musicians would burp the catchphrase in their own unique way.  Oingo Boingo at the time was becoming very popular and while sometimes defined as "nerd punk", they had a more ska-ish sound with rock and the '80s synths we all know and love.  Helmed by future film-score composer Danny Elfman, Oingo Boingo became a household name thanks to their appearances in films like Back To School (which Elfman also scored) and this here Budweiser commercial.  If you want a general idea of how impressive/timeless this thing is, here's some hops for thought: I came across this a few years ago and it actually got me to go try Budweiser for the first time.

The magic of Oingo Boingo mysteriously takes over an entire apartment building and two window cleaners witness it all while on the job.  One floor, it's a full gym, complete with neon lights, babes and muscle dudes just pumpin' away.  A few flights up is a race-track: a Budweiser endorsed car is being revved-up by Elfman himself while in the passenger seat sits a bulldog as the band (and another Elfman) play on a stage nearby.  Before you can say "This Bud's For You!", Boingo takes over a WWII bomber plane and ram into the confused cleaners; making them wonder if they've had a few too many themselves.  Hey, is that what the commercial is trying to tell us?  That if we all chug back a few Buds, then we'll be in this weird fantasy land with Oingo Boingo?  If so, here's my Canadian Express card and you can just write yourself the ticket to Hollywood.


Searsly Spuhghetti - 'This Bud's For You' Oingo Boingo Commercial from EddieSpuhghetti on Vimeo.



Too short of a song?

Why not toss on some Who Ha and crack open a cold one!