The Milwaukee-based brewer said: The campaign will star Miller Lite as the ‘Ultimate Light Beer by Design’ and position the brand as a clear choice for those who challenge convention. Miller added that it had decided to return to competitive ads to secure the long-term growth of its flagship brand.

We are taking a ‘hard right turn’ back to the core essence of Miller Lite, which has always been about differentiating Miller Lite from competitors as a better beer, said Miller chief marketing officer, Randy Ransom. The new ads demonstrate our ability to move with speed and conviction. And we like the flexibility that these simple formats provide to quickly customize our messaging for a variety of mediums.

Mr Ransom said the debut of new Miller Lite creative during the NCAA tournament presents a large-scale opportunity to stoke the growth of Miller Lite. Miller chose to debut the ads during the NCAA tournament due to the high profile of the event and the large number of men aged 21-27 in the audience.

We will have a lot of weight during the tournament and will debut some new competitive ads during one of the most competitive events in sports, added Mr Ransom.

The new spots replace the GHT ads, which Miller said provided a bridge from its recent focus on building social currency through its Man Law campaign to a more direct focus on differentiation.

The new ads, which were created internally by Miller, will continue to use the Miller. Good Call. tagline.