Remember in the late ’90s/early 2000’s when people would walk around saying “Whazzzuuppppp!?” to each other all the time? This is whassup with that.
1999 - The Beginning
It was a cold December night in 1999. It was a time of transition and general cultural confusion. We were struggling to find our aesthetic as we rapidly approached the new millennium. It was the perfect environment for "Whassup" to emerge.
This Budweiser spot first aired during Monday Night Football on December 20, 1999 and took America by storm, almost instantly turning "whassup" into a catchphrase you had to endure being yelled at you by some tongue-wagging co-worker (or obnoxious classmate) on a daily basis. It didn't make sense, but it was memorable. And it was 1999 so there wasn't a lot else going on besides Y2K.
Early 2000's - The Spinoffs Begin
Budweiser really milked the hell out of the "whassup" buzz and immediately released a series of spinoff commercials, simplifying the idea more until it was literally just a slew off different people shouting the titular catchphrase.
We didn't even care that this first spinoff, "Wasabi", was a little bit racist. We loved it so much. We demanded more and the Budweiser creative team worked their asses off to deliver...
youtube.com / Via Youtube
2000- Pop Culture Explosion
"Whassup" really took off in 2000. Already, it had become integrated into every facet of pop culture. It became a joke on major sitcoms and news programs, and was even featured in the above scene from the hit 2000 film, "Scary Movie." There was no avoiding it.
youtube.com / Via Youtube
2001 - The "Grandmas" Spinoff
Exactly what it sounds like. Same thing as usual, but with grandmas. Always a safe direction to take things. Shockingly, this spot doesn't feature Betty White.
youtube.com / Via Youtube
From BuzzFeed