OGDEN, Utah – Local bar owners are sharing their experience and excitement after Post Malone, a rapper and new Utah resident, was featured alongside their bar in a new Bud Light commercial.
At Brewskis, on historic 25th Street in Ogden, you ‘leave your ego at the door’ and stay for the company.
“It’s pretty rugged, it’s authentic,” co-owner Evan Parker said, describing his establishment.
On any given day, bar patrons can be found inside enjoying lunch, popping a top and spending time with friends.
“There’s just something about the feel, you know?” Parker continued. “It’s… Ogden is… we’re cut from our own cloth.”
This watering hole is a hometown favorite, but nowadays it’s taking on a new persona: "Posty Bar."
You can see it written on a board attached to the back-splash behind the bar, #PostyBar -- the new name coincides with the title of a commercial, featuring none other than Post Malone standing behind that very bar in Brewskis.
In the commercial you see Post approach the bar and ask for a Bud Light Seltzer. But when the bartender presents him with a flavor that he is unfamiliar with, the viewers are taken on a journey inside of Post Malone’s mind and body.
“Alright let’s drink this puppy,” a control room operator in Post’s head says to another. “Sip initiated,” it continues.
The commercial then flips over to a row of men dressed in red, representing Post’s tongue. “Tastes like mango!” the men in red shout in unison.
“Yeah, taste buds approve… Let’s show we like it,” the men in the control room continue as they give a cue to a control box operator who turns a dial and forces Post to smile.
The commercial was one of two filmed in anticipation of the Super Bowl – this one, titled #PostyBar, and another, #PostyStore.
The beer company released them ahead of time for fans to choose their favorite. Both would be used, but only one would air during the big game.
“With Post living in Utah -- I don’t know if it was a manager, or an agent or an agency or something – [they] contacted us and told us he wanted to [film the commercial] in Utah somewhere,” Parker explained.
“I was like, ‘He’s one of the biggest names, brands, people in the world right now, that would be a huge thing for us,’” Parker continued.
Brewskis said the Bud Light crew looked at more than 50 Utah locations before deciding on the Ogden bar.
“They came in and looked around and liked it,” Parker said. “I know that they were up and down the street and all over the place, I think it was just kind of the rugged feel a little bit, it’s pretty authentic here.”
After that, a date was set for filming. A crew of 70-people came in, re-decorated and got ready to make small screen magic.
“They took literally everything off the walls, off the top, I mean anything that wasn’t Bud Light… I’m not even sure if they left our Bud Light stuff,” Parker laughed.
Little did Brewskis know, despite a confidentiality agreement, word of the 60-second spot got out and spread quickly.
“There was a ton of people outside, I have no idea how any of it leaked out,” Parker said.
“There was Ogden City Police,” he continued. “They’re all out in the parking lot and there’s people all over and there’s trailers and stuff like that, it was just kind of like, ‘Wow, this is a full-blown operation.’”
The local pub ended up with a heaping dose of national attention too.
“People are like, ‘Oh, you know that’s in Utah,’” Parker said. “So, I think the repercussions are 100-percent positive.”
Post Malone didn’t end up showing up on the first scheduled day of filming, so they rebooked and did it again (crowds and all).
“He thought it was cool here, he was polite, a professional,” Parker said of Post. “It was pretty wild,” Parker smiled.
Looking back, they feel the same way about the commercial as Post Malone does about Bud Light Seltzer Mango – ‘commencing happy face.’
“I feel like we kind of incapsulate all that Ogden is with our business, you know, because Ogden is still a great place, we’re just a little rough around the edges,” said Parker.
This isn’t the first time Post Malone has shown Utah love; he sings about Utah’s snow in his song, ‘Wow.’ He also filmed the music video for ‘Saint Tropez’ in Big Cottonwood Canyon, and flashed a Utah ID in a Doritos commercial, which also aired during the Super Bowl.
Ultimately, the #PostyBar commercial was not chosen to be the official Bud Light Super Bowl commercial – but they are still airing it on TV. You can watch the entire 60-second spot here.
