Bud Light has faced fierce backlash ever since April after partnership with trans-gender, influencer Dylan Mulvaney, came into the fray. And now the brand is trying to bale out a sinking ship with a measuring spoon, in a new ad designed to target it’s original consumer audience.
In April to the present, right-wing conservatives feathers were particularly ruffled at the team-up, wanting nothing to do with with it’s bad publicity, and calling for a mutiny, while Bud Light’s sales all but walked off a cliff as a result.
Even brands associated with Bud Light under the umbrella Anheuser-Busch, suffered by association.
The outcry was heard around the world with the likes of Kid Rock taking a gun to Bud Light cans lined up in a row, in a now-viral video Rock made to show his displeasure with the commercial starring, Mulvaney (he’s still selling it in his Nashville-based bar, btw).
Cheaper Than Water
A 30-pack of Bud Light was being sold for $8.99 after rebates distributed ahead of Memorial Day, and possibly the Fourth of July as well.
A report from the New York Times that interviewed, the manager of a warehouse in PA, Andy Wagner, said: “At this point, it’s cheaper than some of the cases of water we’re selling in the back.”
According to NielsenIQ, Bud Light used to be America’s #1 best-selling beer but it’s been dethroned by Modela Especial.
The damage control is being implemented, hard and fast as Bud Light’s team looks to get back on track.
CEO, Brandan Whittworth, says that they’ll be “focused on getting back to what the brand means to people which they’ve been told is “good times, goodwill, and easy enjoyment.”
One of the two new ads launched right before the 4th of July see’s a group of men grunting, and heaving, ooh-ing, and ah-ing, as they kick back, sitting down in a various assortment of chairs, relaxing with a cold one.
Travis Kelce, of the Kansas City Chiefs, joins in for the commercial, set for the “good-natured”, “good times”, and “easy enjoyment”.
The brand hopes to boost summer sales with the new ad’s, wanting nothing more than to sweep the Dylan Mulvaney controversy under about ten rugs.
If the comments on their video are any indication, there will be no rug sweeping:
“Just saw Bud Light on sale for $16.99 with a $15 rebate in Arizona….not a single case taken and on a holiday at that..Good work patriots enjoy our freedom month.“
“That like to dislike ratio is glorious.”
Wonder when they’ll realize it’s too late to save face. Everyone’s found their new favorite cheap beer and not looking back. Even with them giving it away, no one wants it!“
“They need to fire their advertising department. That won’t get us back. If the CEO approved this he needs to go as well.“
