A newly-released Bud Light advert has received mixed reviews online, with some claiming the company is “trying too hard” and others vowing to continue consuming rival beverages after Anheuser-Busch found itself at the center of controversy earlier this year.
The 60-second advert is set to the soundtrack of “Good Times,” the 1979 hit by Chic, and features Americans from all walks of life enjoying a cold Bud Light during a sweltering hot summer, albeit with a few relatable incidents such as sunburn and sudden thunderstorms.
“Crack a cold one: we’ve got an epic summer ahead. Sock tans included,” Bud Light wrote alongside the video on Twitter.
Notably, the advert shied away from any political statements or LGBT themes.
The latest advert comes after the company suffered intense backlash following its decision to partner with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney for a campaign.
Mulvaney, who has over 10 million followers on TikTok, had been documenting a transgender transformation dubbed “365 Days of Girlhood” on the video-sharing app.
Bud Light later sent the influencer a pack of beers with Mulvaney’s face emblazoned across them to celebrate both the influencer’s 365 days of being a “woman” and to promote the company’s March Madness contest.
Mulvaney shared a photo on Instagram—dressed like Holly Golightly from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”—to reveal the personalized cans. In a second video shared on Instagram, Mulvaney drank a can of Bud Light in a bathtub.
Dylan Mulvaney Backlash
The move prompted a boycott of Bud Light throughout the country and cost Anheuser-Busch up to $6.5 billion in stock value within days.In unveiling the new television commercial, Anheuser-Busch said Bud Light is “setting out to have the brand’s biggest summer campaign.” The company has also announced partnerships with artists including Kane Brown, Midland, and Megan Moroney to bring a “backyard tour” to fans throughout the summer.
Additionally, the company is giving away $10,000 weekly to drinkers to “make summer easy to enjoy and stock up for all the backyard parties,” according to a press release.
However, the latest advert received mixed reviews online, including from Daily Caller Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Ingersoll, who wrote on Twitter: “You’re getting brigaded for this and for good reasons, guys, but also, on its merits, the commercial is dumb. A supercut of dudes embarrassing themselves in front of other people? Have you learned nothing? Go back to the 90s and mine your old content.”
“Do a condensed version of Top Gun II with more babes. Chicks in bikinis. Smoking hot runway models painted green cast as aliens abducting some average Joe to give him an ice-cold beer in space. Get creative, but stick to the basics,” he added.
Customers ‘Haven’t Forgotten’ Controversy
Conservative host Liz Wheeler wrote: “None of this is funny until & unless you apologize for using Dylan Mulvaney—a man pretending to be a woman—as your spokesperson. It’s insulting that you think an ad about summer will make us forget our principles. The boycott continues.”Other Twitter users also condemned the advert, stating that they “haven’t forgotten” the past controversy with Anheuser-Busch, while one user urged the company to apologize for “slamming your loyal customers.”
However, others were more welcoming of the new commercial, including conservative radio host Jesse Kelly, who wrote: “Honestly, this is the smart play if they stick with it. You can’t undo what has been done. It will take lots of time.”
“But if they hire funny writers and churn out light-hearted campaigns that make people snicker, that will do a lot over time to heal the brand,” Kelly added.
A week prior to that, Bud Light’s sales dropped 24.4 percent, the data show.
In May, sales of Bud Light dropped behind Mexican lager Modelo Especial, owned by Constellation Brands within the United States, as the best-selling brand.
However, Bud Light remains the top-selling beer brand in the United States this year in terms of dollar sales and overall volume, according to the company.
