- Bud Light debuts two new commercials, "The Move" and "Armchair," starring returning partners Shane Gillis and Peyton Manning to open the 2026 NFL season.
- The campaign comes from agency Anomaly NY, directed by Damien Shatford through production company Biscuit.
- Bud Light's limited-edition team cans return for 27 NFL teams, with QR codes giving fans a shot at NFL+ Premium, tailgating gear, and tickets.
- The duo's latest spot builds on a run of joint Bud Light campaigns, including 2026's Super Bowl ad "Keg" alongside Post Malone.
Bud Light is ready for kickoff. The brand has released two new commercials, “The Move” and “Armchair,” starring longtime partners Shane Gillis and Peyton Manning, marking the start of its national campaign for the 2026 NFL season.
The spots come from agency Anomaly NY and were directed by Damien Shatford through production company Biscuit.
In “The Move,” Gillis and Manning battle through a crowded bar to reach the bartender first. “Armchair” shows Manning hauling his recliner across the room rather than losing his seat while grabbing another beer.
“Partnering with Bud Light is my favorite NFL kickoff tradition, and bringing Shane into the action this year made this one even funnier,” Manning said in a statement. Gillis was characteristically brief: “I enjoyed shooting this Bud Light commercial with Peyton.”
Todd Allen, Bud Light’s SVP of marketing, said the goal was to celebrate “the great lengths fans go to as they do anything for their team – and a Bud Light – on gameday.”
Alongside the ads, the brand is bringing back limited-edition team cans covering 27 NFL teams, with QR codes offering fans chances at NFL+ Premium, tailgating gear, and tickets.
This isn’t new territory for the pair. Gillis and Manning starred together in this year’s Super Bowl LIX ad “Keg” alongside Post Malone, whose decade-long Bud Light relationship recently produced the limited-edition Posty Co. Minis.
Manning has fronted Bud Light work since December 2023, including “Parachute” and “Officegate,” and just last month narrated Adidas’ campaign marking Tennessee’s return to the brand, adding to a resume that already includes Buick and Nationwide.
Gillis has built out his own slate beyond beer too, including a 2025 deal with Under Armour and a playable card in EA Sports College Football.
Bud Light has leaned hard on familiar faces to rebuild its image in recent years, also tapping Travis Kelce, Zach Bryan, Dana White, and Seth Rogen.
Takeaways
Bud Light isn’t reinventing anything here, it’s doubling down on what’s already working. Gillis and Manning have become the brand’s most dependable comedic pairing, and stacking that proven chemistry with nostalgic team cans feels like a low-risk way to win back lapsed drinkers heading into kickoff.
Does sticking with the same duo year after year build stronger loyalty, or does it start to feel repetitive to fans? As Gillis’s comedy career keeps growing, how long can Bud Light keep him as its “relatable everyman”?
