Budweiser released a patriotic advertisement on social media Friday amid controversy over its parent company Anheuser-Busch's sponsorship deal with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney.
The new ad shows the iconic Budweiser Clydesdale horse galloping past American landmarks and farmland. Critics slammed the move as a weak attempt to end the conservative boycott on Anheuser-Busch's Bud Light, which enlisted Mulvaney to drink Bud Light beers in a bathtub while celebrating "365 Days of Girlhood."
A narrator in the ad introduces the brand as "a beer rooted in the heart of America," as the famous Clydesdale horse travels through scenic American landscapes.
"This is a story bigger than beer," the narrator concludes. "This is the story of the American spirit."
— Budweiser (@budweiserusa) April 14, 2023
The ad comes as Anheuser-Busch has received backlash from conservatives, reportedly losing roughly $5 billion in stock value since Bud Light recruited Mulvaney.
Conservatives are criticizing the marketing move from Budweiser, calling for a persistent boycott of the brand.
"The win with this Bud Light situation is when they publicly apologize for promoting transgenderism," tweeted Daily Wire host Matt Walsh. "If you can't see why that would be such a massive cultural victory, and why it's worth pushing this boycott until we achieve it, then you really aren't cut out for this movement."
Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth on Friday released a statement responding to the exploding controversy around the Bud Light brand.
"As the CEO of a company founded in America’s heartland more than 165 years ago, I am responsible for ensuring every consumer feels proud of the beer we brew," 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."
A survey conducted last week found that over a third of small-town Wyoming bars surveyed are experiencing Bud Light boycotts. The drops in sales varied in degree, with one bar reporting that "multiple customers have switched, but Bud Light is still selling."