‘This is desperate’: Bud Light releases a new commercial starring Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce, which has multiple men grunting to appeal to male drinkers – but it’s only garnered 2,000 views
- Bud Light has been branded ‘distressed’ after releasing a new commercial showing men aggressively ‘grunting’
- The 15-second spot saw Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce opening up a couple of cold duels with several other burly men
- It’s a clear marketing reversal after the beer giant’s disastrous collaboration with trans star Dylan Mulvaney
Bud Light has been branded “desperate” after he published a new ad featuring Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce in a bid to win back customers.
The embattled beer giant released a new 15-second spot on Sunday, which features Kelce cracking open Bud-Light cans and aggressively grunting with several other men.
The ad marked a clear reversal in marketing after backlash over the company’s previous collaboration with trans star Dylan Mulvaney financially ruined the brand.
However, after being released on YouTube, the project failed to gain traction and only garnered 2,500 views within 24 hours of release.
Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce (left) has seen his new ad featuring Bud Light labeled “distressed”.
The new ad, titled “Backyard Grunts with Travis Kelce,” appears to be an attempt to win back targeted male drinkers.
Kelce can be seen in the ad attending a barbecue with several other men, grunting satirically as they slowly lean back in their seats and crack open a beer.
The video drew mixed reviews, however many former commenters felt the company’s about-face wasn’t enough to win them back.
“Sorry, Bud.” The only thing that would even remotely help your regular customers would be an unconditional apology and renunciation of the waking culture!’ said a viewer.
Another added: “Nice try but no dice.”
Kelce’s appearance in the ad also sparked backlash. One commenter slammed it as “sold out”.
“No support for Kelce,” they said. “I will never buy an Anheuser Busch product again.”
The 15-second video shows Kelce grilling while opening a can of Bud Light
Several other men grunt loudly while sitting back with a beer at the ad
The ad comes several months after parent company Anheuser Busch was also previously accused in a separate ad of overcompensating for the backlash.
In an overly patriotic advertisement for Budweiser, the brand released a one-minute spot showing their iconic Clydesdale horses galloping across the country.
A deep-voiced narrator says that Budweiser is “a story bigger than beer” as the horses race across the screen.
“This is the story of the American spirit,” he added.
The promotion of the beer — owned, like Bud Light, by Anheuser-Busch — appeared to be a return to traditional values for the brand that has historically resonated with American workers.
This is in stark contrast to Bud Light’s doomed partnership with trans influencer Mulvaney – which ended with a tepid apology from the company’s CEO.
In early April, Mulvaney shared a video of herself in a bathtub sipping on a can of Bud Light to announce her new partnership with the brand
The brand endured months of backlash following its collaboration with trans star Dylan Mulvaney (pictured).
Bud Light has endured months of backlash and a financially devastating boycott since he began dating trans star Dylan Mulvaney.
The brand lost $20 billion in market capitalization as a result of the fiasco.
However, Mulvaney broke her silence last month and slammed the company as she felt it wasn’t standing by her as online abuse plagued her.
Speaking to her 1.8 million followers, she said, “I waited for the brand to contact me but they never did.” I was afraid to leave my house.
“It’s worse for a company to hire a trans person and then not publicly endorse them than not to hire a trans person at all.”
“Because it gives clients permission to be as transphobic and hateful as they want.” Working with us shouldn’t be controversial or divisive.
“I’ve been ridiculed in public, I’ve been stalked, and I’ve felt a loneliness I wouldn’t wish on anyone.”