Budweiser is facing backlash for releasing a patriotic ad in an effort to win favor with customers who disapprove of Anheuser-Busch’s partnership with a transgender influencer.
The new ad was released on social media Friday. It features one of the brand’s iconic Clydesdale horses traveling across the country. The horse makes its way from New York City to the Grand Canyon, passing iconic American landmarks and small-town scenes on the journey.
As these images are on screen, a narrator delivers a patriotic and uniting message that ends with, “This is a story bigger than beer. This is a story of the American spirit.”
The ad also makes reference to 9/11, showing the One World Trade Center and saying Americans “remember.”
— Budweiser (@budweiserusa) April 14, 2023
The advertisement comes after Bud Light, which is also owned by Anheuser-Busch, announced a partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
Many critics on Twitter saw the Budweiser ad as insincere pandering to customers upset by the Mulvaney deal.
“Hey @AnheuserBusch, if you’re at a point where you’re literally referencing 9/11 in hopes that it would make us flyover yokels run to the store to salute a 12-pack of Bud Light, you should just apologize instead. Hoping we’re stupid enough to buy this ad is insulting,” Red State senior editor Brandon Morse said in a tweet.
Hey @AnheuserBusch, if you’re at a point where you’re literally referencing 9/11 in hopes that it would make us flyover yokels run to the store to salute a 12-pack of Bud Light, you should just apologize instead. Hoping we’re stupid enough to buy this ad is insulting. https://t.co/p1HpTqqdXe
— Brandon Morse (@TheBrandonMorse) April 16, 2023
Oli London, a former transgender influencer who now advocates against transgenderism, also slammed the company on Twitter.
“Budweiser release pro-American ad 2 weeks after Dylan Mulvaney backlash. The new advert, comes after Anheuser-Busch CEO released a statement which failed to apologise for the backlash and instead talked about traditional values and being pro-America,” London wrote.
Budweiser release pro-American ad 2 weeks after Dylan Mulvaney backlash.
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) April 16, 2023
The new advert, comes after Anheuser-Busch CEO released a statement which failed to apologise for the backlash and instead talked about traditional values and being pro-America.
pic.twitter.com/G2JhzcNQRR
Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth broke the company’s silence on the controversy Friday. However, he did not apologize for the Mulvaney ad campaign.
“We have thousands of partners, millions of fans and a proud history supporting our communities, military, first responders, sports fans and hard-working Americans everywhere,” Whitworth stated. “We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer.”