Bud Light Parent Tries To Counter Dylan Mulvaney Backlash With Clydesdales Across America Ad Imagery – Deadline

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Hoping to win back the audience that abandoned Bud Light and other affiliated products in the wake of its endorsement deal with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Anheuser-Busch has launched a new ad featuring its most iconic image.

The new patriotic ad, released Friday, shows a Clydesdale horse walking past famous landmarks ranging from New York City to the Grand Canyon, with a solemn voiceover delivering a patriotic message.

“This is a story bigger than beer,” the narrator says. “This is the story of the American spirit.”

At one point, the ad shows two people raising an American flag, with one placing a hand over her heart.

“Brewed for those who found opportunity in challenge and hope in tomorrow,” the ad’s narrator says.

Bud Light parent Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV is a Belgian multinational based in Leuven, Belgium. It has approximately 630 beer brands in 150 countries.

Reports indicate the company has suffered a financial hit in the wake of its Mulvaney endorsement. US bar owners, stores, and distributors are all reporting severe sales declines on Bud Light, and celebrities like Kid Rock, Travis Tritt, and John Rich have all publicly condemned the Bud Light brand. The A-B marketing head called its former image “fratty.”

Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth issued a statement Friday that attempted to explain the company’s position.

“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 said. “We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer.”