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Global Ads Spotlight: Dreamcasting the game - Michelob Ultra's slam dunk for accessibility
When Michelob Ultra decided to push past standard sports sponsorship and celebrity endorsements, it didn't just score points - it rewrote the playbook. Read and watch in our Global Ads Spotlight column.
The beer aisle has always been a background, with brands pouring billions into campaigns hoping to win drinkers' loyalty.
Michelob Ultra, a low-calorie beer that markets itself as the drink for active lifestyles, decided it was time to sidestep the usual glossy commercials and halftime show tie-ins.
Instead, it zeroed in on a staggering statistic: 284 million sports fans around the world are blind or visually impaired, and many can't experience the full joy of live games.
That insight set the stage for Dreamcaster, a bold experiment that merged technology, sport, and human connection. At its heart was Cameron Black - a lifelong basketball fan and aspiring sports broadcaster who happened to be born completely blind.
The challenge was enormous: how do you let someone “see” the game without sight? Michelob Ultra’s answer was to build its own proprietary tech powered by generative AI.
The system gathered millions of in-game data points, then translated them into a multi-sensory feed using haptics and spatial sound. The result was an immersive, real-time way to feel the energy and movements on the court.
When the NBA Playoffs tipped off in April 2023, Cameron wasn’t just a fan - he was in the booth, calling plays live on TV and online for millions of viewers.
Sitting inside a custom-built multisensorial booth, he could interpret every move, every basket, every foul, and share the excitement in real-time.
Michelob Ultra didn’t tuck this away as a niche side project. The moment aired during prime time on MSG Network and streamed online, pulling in 10.4 million viewers.
In Cameron’s home market, the broadcast became the second-highest-rated program of the day.
The campaign’s ripple effect was immediate:
+55% organic search volume
+44% spike in social conversation
A wave of goodwill that positioned Michelob Ultra not just as “the beer for active people,” but as a brand genuinely invested in inclusion.
This wasn’t just a corporate good-deed stunt. It was an idea that felt necessary - solving a real problem for a group of fans who had been excluded for too long.
It wove seamlessly into Michelob Ultra’s “It’s Only Worth It If You Enjoy It” platform, extending it into a more powerful statement: It’s only worth it if we all enjoy it.
By giving Cameron the tools to live his dream and letting audiences witness his historic broadcast, the brand proved that marketing can be more than slogans—it can be a cultural moment.
SPOTLIGHT
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