Michelob Ultra’s ‘The Ultra Hustle’ Ad: Pickleball, Beer, and the Ultimate Sneaky Hustle

If you haven’t seen Michelob Ultra’s “The Ultra Hustle” yet, stop what you’re doing and go watch it. Seriously. This ad has everything: Catherine O’Hara, Willem Dafoe, pickleball, and the sneakiest, most conniving beer hustle you’ll ever witness. It’s funny, unexpected, and a total win in the world of advertising. Let’s talk about why this commercial works so well—and why we’re still thinking about it.

1. Catherine O’Hara and Willem Dafoe Are the MVPs

First of all, whoever decided to cast Schitt’s Creek legend Catherine O’Hara and the always-intense, something of a genius himself, Willem Dafoe, deserves a raise. These two have kooky chemistry for days, and their dead-serious, shark-eyed approach to hustling people on the pickleball court is chef’s kiss.

O’Hara brings her signature dry wit, and Dafoe’s intense, almost menacing energy somehow makes the whole thing even funnier. Seeing him apply that Green Goblin-level focus to pickleball? Pure gold.

2. Pickleball + Beer = A Match Made in Heaven

Pickleball is having a moment, and Michelob Ultra nailed the timing. By tapping into a sport that’s blown up in popularity, the ad instantly feels relevant & cheesy in all the right ways. But instead of just slapping some pickleball scenes together, they took it a step further—turning the game into a full-blown hustle.

The premise is simple: O’Hara and Dafoe hustle unsuspecting players for their Michelob Ultras. And honestly, who wouldn’t trade a game of pickleball for a cold beer? It’s relatable and ridiculous all at once.

3. The Humor Is Low-Key Hilarious

This isn’t in-your-face slapstick humor; it’s subtle and perfectly timed. The best part? The ad takes itself just seriously enough to make the joke land. O’Hara and Dafoe play their roles like seasoned pool sharks—except with paddles and pickleballs—while their opponents remain blissfully unaware, and honestly a little judgmental (something something don’t judge a book by its cover).

It’s that perfect balance of “Wait, are they really doing this?” and “Oh my God, they are.” The kind of humor that sticks with you and makes you chuckle later when you’re thinking about it.

4. High-Quality, but Not Over the Top

One reason this ad works so well is that it’s polished without feeling overproduced. The pacing is tight, the visuals are crisp, and the vibe is just… cool. Cold beer on a hot day cool, obviously.

The whole thing feels intentional, but not in a trying-too-hard way. It knows what it is—a fun, lighthearted ad that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

5. The Perfect Product Tie-In

And let’s not forget the beer! Michelob Ultra, the third main character in the commercial, weaves itself into the story so naturally. It’s not, “LOOK AT OUR BEER!” It’s more like, “Oh, hey, yeah, this is just what cool people drink when they’re done hustling pickleball.”

By the end of the ad, you’re not just craving a cold Michelob Ultra—you’re also kind of wondering if you should dust off your paddle and hit the court.

The Takeaway

Michelob Ultra’s “The Ultra Hustle” is a welcome reminder that advertising doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective. A great concept, the right talent, and a dash of humor can go a long way. It’s funny, clever, and totally on-brand—proof that ads don’t need to scream to be heard loud and clear.

So, the next time you’re thinking about how to promote your brand, take a page from Michelob Ultra’s playbook: keep it light, keep it fun, and maybe throw in a little pickleball, and a lot of personality.

In (what we assume would be) the words of the iconic Moira Rose: Darlings, are you yearning for an advertising campaign that exudes charisma, uniqueness, and the kind of je ne sais quoi that leaves audiences utterly enchanted? Allow Mad Men Marketing to be your guiding light. Together, we shall craft something fabulously memorable—a pièce de résistance that will have them talking for ages. Now, off you go! Contact us posthaste. 💫

The Three Steps Involved in Creating a TV Commercial

“It is expected that TV advertising revenue in the United States will grow … to 81 billion [dollars] in 2025,” Statista reports. And oh, we know: you want in on that.

But without experience behind the camera — let alone walking meticulously through each step of commercial advertising — you might (understandably) not know where to start.

So, if you’re looking for a basic three-step rundown on the commercial creation process to help you get prepared, simply read on with us:

Step One: Pre-Production

Pre-Production is the planning phase that involves brainstorming, establishing a vision, writing the initial script, and creating a shooting script and/or storyboard.

The difference between a shooting script and a storyboard is that…

• A shooting script is written descriptions of visuals that will be captured to represent the content of the script
• A storyboard includes drawn thumbnails or illustrations to convey what those shots will look like.

Otherwise, in addition to the aforementioned, pre-production may also include “hiring the actors and crew, finding locations, determining what equipment you’ll need, and figuring out the budget,” as explained by MasterClass.

Step Two: Production

Production is precisely what you might expect it to be: it is the process of going on location or into a studio in order to capture all of the video/audio content that will be in the commercial.

This includes shooting scenes with the required actors/talent, capturing any B-roll content to be spliced in, and recording audio (such as voiceovers or custom music).

And remember, when you’re deciding what that content should be, always hone in on the interests in passions of your target audience. This is because “video viewers said relating to their passions is 3X more important than content featuring famous actors,” as reported by Google.

Step Three: Post-Production

Post-production is where everything comes together in the process of editing.

Production specialists will use video editing software to cut together the best shots from the footage that was captured before laying in the audio bed, which includes:

• Voice
• Sound effects
• Music

“Additionally, this is the point at which any other visual elements — like motion graphics — will be added in order to create the final product according to the established vision during the pre-production process,” Mad Men Marketing Director of Production Tamara Dileo says.

And remember: if you aren’t sure what story or message you want to convey on-screen, you’re not alone — Mad Men Marketing is ready to help you adjust your focus!

From photography to videography and more, we’re eager to get behind the camera and help you capture your brand’s vision. After all, our research-driven and content-inspired agency believes that your television commercial should help you to interact with your audience, not interrupt them.

So, are you ready to interact? If so, reach out to Mad Men Marketing today by calling 904-355-1766!

Advertising Locally on Streaming TV

Advertising Locally on Streaming TV (specifically Hulu)

I think everyone knows what streaming TV is, but in the very basic terms, it is the digital distribution of any video content that is consumed on TV screens. Some popular platforms are Disney+, Netflix, Prime and for this article, Hulu.

I am focusing on Hulu because they are the first service to offer local insertions in their programming. This is huge for local advertisers! According to Nielsen, adults 18-34 traditional TV ratings have declined 69% since 2017. So in 4 short years, 70% of adults under 35 years of age, are no longer watching traditional, local news station content over the air, or through traditional cable service providers. I for one have been a huge fan of “Only Murders in the Building” on Hulu, and when a platform has successful content such as this, it increases usage in large numbers. As an example, I am now watching the Hulu platform almost daily at some point, whereas before the show, I did not.

So why is this important? Because like me, Hulu viewership is up in a big way.  As Hulu puts it, we are starting to see GENERATION STREAM come to maturity and they consume their content almost exclusively on a streaming service. In fact, Hulu’s research points that ads on their platforms are 151% more engaging than linear TV. There are many reasons for this, but their limited content breaks and non-traditional approach to breaks in general, makes for a better user experience.

The new Hulu self-service option to buying and inserting ads locally in their programming, for as little as $500, is something I hope local companies will take advantage of!

Tradition vs Evolution:  Go Team….Go?

     Many top-tier Div. I football programs fund the bulk of their entire university athletic departments, or at least support athletic programs at their schools that cannot or would not be able to support themselves otherwise.  They often bring a significant amount of business to the towns that host their games as well.  The impact is especially great in smaller cities.

     In 2013, the University of Nebraska paid $2.1 million to the University of Southern Mississippi to move their match-up from Hattiesburg to Lincoln.  This move increased the Huskers game day revenue by 14%, and brought an estimated $8 million to the local economy (forbes.com, December 2012).  While Southern Mississippi reaps the benefits of the venue change, the local economy in Hattiesburg will not see any of the influx of revenue that it would have enjoyed from visiting Husker fans. 

      West Virginia paid $20 million to leave the Big East (a conference made up mostly of east coast teams, as the name would suggest) and join the Big-12 (teams based primarily across the central states), which had just secured a lucrative media contract with ESPN and Fox, to the tune of $2.6 billion.  While television deals are a boon to conferences, schools individual earnings remain the driving force behind their overall financial success.

     Teams are willing to eschew decades of tradition to enhance their economic futures.  The opportunity for increased revenue and brand growth outweighed the decades of economic ties between teams and communities that benefited mutually from long-standing, yearly rivalry match-ups. 

     These efforts to expand brand awareness, whether through marketing themselves to recruits in new territories by moving to a more prestigious athletic conference, or expanding their fan base by endeavoring into new territories, shows that teams are willing to embrace non-traditional methods of evolving their business models in an effort to ensure continued fiscal success in the years to come.

Guide To World Cup Advertising Success

The World Cup is a great place to raise brand awareness, but probably isn't the event you're going to debut a new product or unveil a revolutionary idea.  This is simply because the World Cup has a global viewership and is fragmented based largely upon national allegiances.  For instance, viewership in England among women increases from 38% to 46% when their native country is playing (The Guardian, June 2010).  Another reason for this is that the event takes place over the course of a month and is similar to March Madness in that regard.  

Because many companies see the World Cup as an opportunity to showcase their business on a global scale, the creative is top-notch.  This may be one of the reasons that the ads resonate with women more than with men, although the viewership skews more male than female.  

In an event that showcases superstars like Messi, Suarez, Neymar, and Ronaldo…this is your opportunity to make your business the hero.  YOU'RE the superstar.  Now is not the time to do a human interest piece that tugs at your heart strings.  Promote the brand early.  

Unexpected ads that work within the context of the World Cup seem to gain traction among viewers.  The popular ” I believe that we will win” chant that the USA has adopted, might be a good example of how a business might pair nationalism, fanaticism, and product placement if it fits with the brand.  

Celebrity endorsements are hit and miss.  It would take a global superstar with incredible recognition for this to work they way people are accustomed.

Finally, clarity of vision is paramount.

So, there you have it!  Take these tips and corner kick them to your best play-maker for a game-winning header and enjoy the fruits of your labor!