What options do Budweiser, Bud Light, and their parent company Anheuser-Busch really have at this point? Any decision they make to try to climb their way out of the hole only seems to dig themselves even deeper.
The beer company has been backsliding ever since they announced a partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney back in March. In the past couple of months, Anheuser-Busch has experienced huge backlash and boycotting, and according to Daily Mail has reportedly lost $15.7 billion in value in the past 3 months.
Bud Light and Budweiser have seemingly tried everything to get back on the consumer’s good side, but everything has failed up to this point.
They partnered with Folds of Honor to release camouflage print bottles, tried to lasso back in the country music crowd with an advertisement featuring Zac Brown’s “Chicken Fried,” and even offered to give away free beer.
If you are trying to give away the beer at no cost and it’s still not working, you know you’ve really worked yourself into a corner. I mean, who passes up on a free beer? Other than one that’s ice cold, a free beer is the best kind of beer.
But give Anheuser-Busch some credit for their sticktuitiveness, because they keep rolling out ideas and marketing plans to try and stop the bleeding. However, as one finds out when it comes to nurturing relationships, it takes forever to build trust, but only one moment to break it down.
They’ve been trying to escape that one moment ever since March, and now they’ve turned to the classic American motorcycle company Harley Davidson for help.
The new ad features a hardworking man tuning up his classic Harley Motorcycle, wiping the sweat off his brow and drinking an ice cold Budweiser. Narration of the “screaming masculinity” ad reads:
“The greatest legacies are built with grit and resilience. One detail at a time.
Limited edition Budweiser-Harley Davidson cans. For those who give everything to their craft.
This Bud’s for you.”
Without the current backlash, this advertisement probably would have been a home run. But like I mentioned earlier, everything the beer company does now is seen through the lens of “we’re trying to fix this” and many consumers are seeing their attempts as disingenuous.
Even Harley Davidson is catching flak now for partnering with Budweiser, which is not a good sign for Anheuser-Busch going forward. Not many companies will be willing to “sign up for adversity” seeing how consumers have responded to Harley Davidson.
The advertisement can be viewed below, with this Twitter user below saying:
“Budweiser just came out with a new advertisement with Harley Davidson. Anheuser-Busch wants you to know that they’re SUPER MANLY now. Desperation mode.”
Consumers are showing their power with the recent Bud Light boycott. Even the retail chain Target has found themselves in hot water lately due to their own issues, and funnily enough also saw themselves as the main plot point in a new, viral rap song titled “Boycott Target.”
It must be a nightmare zone in the marketing offices of Anheuser-Busch. “Saving face” mode has been turned on for quite some time, and it could be a very long time before “America’s favorite beer” returns to the market hold it once had.
I mean, just look at some of these comments…
The Budweiser Harley. pic.twitter.com/5oEbsR6RJ8
— Kent Moore (@kentrmoore) May 26, 2023
Embarrassed to have a Harley in my garage. Wonder if Indian wants to do a deal. I sincerely hope this puts you out of business
— Michael K (@mikej2461) May 28, 2023
If you were so proud of your choices like the partnership with @AnheuserBusch you’d promote it…. Yet you’re not…. SHADY, trying to hide the fact you sold out your demographic?????
— DomesticGoddess603 (@domgoddess603) May 25, 2023
