Superior Call Up - Michelob ULTRA

The revamped FIFA Club World Cup 2025 promised to be bigger and bolder than ever. But in a tournament dominated by elite rights-holders and global superstars, how do you break through? Michelob ULTRA chose to find a unique way into a cluttered brand space.

Enter the Superior Call Up.

Our mission was to make Michelob ULTRA the most talked-about beer in football – by inserting a creator INSIDE a team. To deliver this Michelob ULTRA launched a global competition, to give one fan the most Superior Access in football history: a place in the Auckland City FC squad during the FIFA Club World Cup.

But this wasn’t just hype. After 9,000+ entries, one winner emerged: Judah Negron. Signed as an official player, Judah travelled on the team bus, stayed in the team hotel, trained with the squad, warmed up pitchside, and experienced the tournament from inside the dugout — living the FIFA Club World Cup exactly as the pros do, and capturing content for Michelob ULTRA.

The result was more than a life-changing moment for one fan. Auckland City FC and the campaign became one of the tournament’s biggest stories, making Michelob ULTRA the #1 most engaged brand of the CWC (40% Share of Engagement). It also drove double-digit Q2 volume growth across the US, Mexico and Canada, becoming AB InBev’s #1 volume driver in Q2 2025.