Why does Terre Haute get Will Ferrell?

Let’s see if we understand this correctly. Indianapolis has the Super Bowl. And the Super Bowl, as much as football, means beer commercials.

But superstar comedian Will Ferrell recently shot a series of low-budget Old Milwaukee spots in Terre Haute.

What gives?

According to Adweek, Ferrell approached Pabst Brewing, which owns the Old Milwaukee brand, about producing the commercials because he is “a big fan of the beer.”

The Terre Haute Tribune Star reported that the commercials have been airing locally in the city. (An earlier series of commercials shot in Davenport, Iowa, aired only locally as well.) Fortunately, the spots are also circulating on the Internet—our favorite depicts Ferrell walking a lonely stretch of Terre Haute railroad tracks with a foaming can of suds, calling out rusty backyard trampolines.

Indy can take solace in the fact that Ferrell seems to be pulling the Old Mil stunt only in third-tier cities. And the timing makes us wonder if Pabst’s marketing gurus, tight-lipped about the project so far, are hoping to build viral buzz (more than a million YouTube views so far!) ahead of a big ad blitz during the Super Bowl.

Can’t wait to find out.

Photos from Tribstar.com