Ad of the Day: A 48-Year Record Holder Challenges Today’s Olympians to Best Him

Since that event at the Mexico City Olympics, no athlete in the games has matched—much less beaten—his distance (though fellow U.S. athlete Mike Powell did technically set a new world record at the 1991 World Championships in Athletics by jumping 2 inches farther than Beamon).

Now Beamon is waiting patiently in hopes that a 2016 Olympian will beat his record, and if so, he wants to buy the new champ a beer. 

He makes this "golden challenge" in a new spot from Crispin Porter + Bogusky Brazil for AB InBev's unbranded #WeAllLoveBeer campaign:

There's even a countdown clock running on WeAllLoveBeer.com, ticking down the hours until 2016's long jump participants make their leaps.

So why has Beamon's record lasted so long, when most events seem to see new superlatives every few years?

Some have argued that Beamon benefited from a strong tailwind and the thin atmosphere of Mexico City. But if that was the case, his competitors sure didn't seem to get a boost from the same perks. Soviet track star Igor Ter-Ovanesyan said of Beamon's achievement, "Compared to this jump, we are as children."

But Beamon seems hopeful that someone else will finally take his top spot in the Olympic record books. He's enjoyed the record for nearly 50 years, which is more than most athletes could ever dream of.

While you won't see Budweiser logos or any other AB InBev branding in the spot, #WeLoveBeer is described as "a movement to share stories and curiosities about beer. In association with AB InBev, the initiative's goal is to show people that beer can be a part of a balanced lifestyle."

The Beamon clip follows up a much different video for #WeLoveBeer, which in 2015 recorded the frequency with which women's beer orders are put in front of the men they're with. That video generated more than 6 million views. 

This outing likely won't spark quite as much viral attention as last year's experiment in beverage stereotypes, but it might help get a little more attention for an otherwise overlooked track star—whether that's Beamon or his successor. 

CREDITS:

Agency: CP+B Brazil

Campaign Name: The Golden Challenge

CCO: André Kassu e Marcos Medeiros

Creative Director: Marcelo Rizério

Creative Team: Luiz Paccillo, Nicholas Bergantin and Pedro Galdi

Producer: Renata Sayão, Fafa Oliveira e Fabíola Camilo

Planner: Caio Del Manto e Julia Prais

Account: Renata Wirthmann, Danielle Cabral e Malu Godoi

Media: Tiago Santos, Edson Melo, Rafael Takeshita, Fabiana Melo e Gabriela Pompiani

Project Manager: Denise Kotsubo

Website: Bull

Production Company: PBA Cinema

Director:  Santi Dulce

Cinematography: Felipe Hermini

Editing: Fezão Barbieri

Sound Production: Satélite

Voice Over: Eric Holloway