First, Bud Light tried to give away beer for free. Then, they decided to revive their fan-favorite Bud Knight mascot.
Now, they are leaning on the talents and lovability of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce in their new commercial.
Bud Light has truly pulled out all of the stops in response to the boycott and backlash the beer brand has dealt with since they announced a partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney back in March.
Anheuser-Busch has tried anything and everything to win back their customers, and it seems like they’re hoping this partnership with media darling Travis Kelce will be the one to right the ship.
Bud Light is breaking out the new 15-second spot right in time for the 4th of July, and it is one of the beer brand’s first advertisements to be posted since the whole Mulvaney fiasco began.
The new commercial featuring the NFL star is pretty simple, yet very relatable and effective. “Backyard Grunts” is the name of the ad, clearly pandering to the male audience who commonly sit down in chairs and let out a sigh of relief.
The video just shows a bunch of dudes sitting down as they grunt and crack open Bud Lights. It really doesn’t get more manly than that.
And Travis Kelce, though his screen time is somewhat limited, is the clear star on the screen and shows off his acting ability (even if he’s just muttering grunts and other various noises).
Maybe Bud Light is going to follow the tried-and-true guideline of “keep it simple, stupid” from here on out? Clearly this advertisement reverts back to the traditional beer commercial that you would probably think about from the Bud Knight and Dilly Dilly days.
Bud Light and Anheuser-Busch really had no choice but to shake things up. The New York Post reported that the beer brand has lost up to $27 billion in market capital since they partnered with Dylan Mulvaney.
Consumers have clearly forced Bud Light to change their mindset and marketing, and I’ve got a feeling that this might not be a one-and-done commercial partnership with Kelce and Bud Light.
Take a look at the “Backyard Grunts” ad below:
