Bud Light teases ‘humorous’ Super Bowl ad as brand plots bounce back in wake of Dylan Mulvaney boycott
Bud Light is back in the game.
The controversial beer brand launched a teaser Thursday for what is promised to be a humorous Super Bowl commercial, marking a return to basics after a months-long boycott that cost it its best-selling beer title.
“The Super Bowl is advertising’s biggest moment, and our goal is to once again captivate our audience when the world is watching,” Kyle Norrington, the Chief Commercial Officer of Bud Light’s parent company Anheuser-Busch, said in a statement.
The teaser — which only shows 12 seconds of the one-minute ad — dangles a celebrity cameo, showing only the man’s thick beard, metallic sunglasses and a zipped-up Bug Light-embroidered hoodie.
Several starstruck onlookers with beer bottles in hand gape at the mystery man, with one Broncos jersey fan asking: “Are you…?”
The mystery man is a “new character to the Bud Light universe,” but will be joined by other celebrities who have appeared in prior campaigns for the brand and Anheuser-Busch’s other platforms, the company said.
The mega-company emphasized that the “humorous” commercial will mark a stark return to Bud Light’s iconic Super Bowl ads, which gained notoriety for their levity and occasional brashness.
Bud Light departed from that model for last year’s Super Bowl ad, which depicted “Top Gun: Maverick” star Miles Teller and his wife dancing to telephone-hold music after cracking a cold one.
The brand would be rocked by a massive boycott just two months later when Bud Light partnered with transgender influencer and activist Dylan Mulvaney, sparking outrage with the company’s conservative fanbase.
The boycott extended to other Anheuser-Busch-owned brands, which include Budweiser, Michelob Ultra and Busch.
CEO Brendan Whitworth said in April last year that the company “never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people,” but sales continued to plummet through the rest of the calendar year.
In an effort to rehabilitate its image, the company is also dedicating two other ad spaces to its brands in addition to the 60-second spot for Bud Light, the NFL’s official sponsor.
Budweiser will air a commercial for its iconic Clydesdales, while Michelob ULTRA’s spot will feature Argentine soccer legend Lionel Messi.
