Farmers Are Turning on Bud Light After Latest Super Bowl Ad
Anheuser-Busch appears to have alienated not only their fellow beer companies but corn farmers as well with their Bud Light Super Bowl advertisement that questioned the use of corn syrup in beer production.
The advertisement, which was set in medieval times, showed a fictional beer factory that received a shipment of corn syrup. The king promptly announced that corn syrup was not an ingredient in the Bud Light process.
So, the chivalrous group set out to return the barrel to its rightful owners and stopped first at Miller Lite and then Coors Light to ask if the corn syrup was theirs.
Both fictional production castles confirmed that they did indeed use corn syrup, which was implied to make the brands inferior.
The advertisement ended with an announcement that Bud Light was “brewed with no corn syrup.”
The ad sparked outrage from the Iowa Corn Growers Association who released a statement on Monday, castigating Anheuser-Busch for their choice to run the ad.
“As a family farmer, I am disappointed that Bud Light chose to denigrate corn in their Super Bowl ad as part of a marketing scheme to attack their competition,” ICGA chairman Mark Recker said.
“I am proud of the generations of farmers that grow corn that is used in over 4,000 everyday products from corn fed beef to ethanol to bourbon to makeup.
“Iowa is the number one corn producing state, and the top crop grown in our country,” Recker continued.
“This attack especially hits home at a time when farmers are hurting due to challenging economic conditions. Corn is a homegrown renewable crop that feeds and fuels my family and yours. Please leave us out of the beer wars.”
Iowa farmer Kevin Ross posted a video to Twitter, showing his disapproval of Bud Light’s view on his industry.
“Thoroughly disappointed in the aftertaste @budlight after the #SuperBowl commercial…” Ross tweeted.
“Bud Light, if you’re not standing with corn farmers, we’re not standing with you,” Ross said as he poured what appeared to be the fourth bud light down the drain.
Thoroughly disappointed in the aftertaste @budlight after the #SuperBowl commercial… #dumpdillydilly #yourecutoff pic.twitter.com/vij6zd0G9s
— Kevin Ross (@krossfarms) February 4, 2019
The National Corn Growers Association was equally as outraged and tweeted, “America’s corn farmers are disappointed in you,” at Bud Light.
“Our office is right down the road! We would love to discuss with you the many benefits of corn!”
.@BudLight America’s corn farmers are disappointed in you. Our office is right down the road! We would love to discuss with you the many benefits of corn! Thanks @MillerLight and @CoorsLite for supporting our industry. https://t.co/6fIWtRdeeM
— National Corn (NCGA) (@NationalCorn) February 4, 2019
CNN reported that Anheuser-Busch was in contact with the National Corn Growers Association and emailed them “looking to make it right” on Sunday.
Adam Collins, a spokesman for MillerCoors Adam Collins tweeted on Sunday that “The Bud Light advertisement says more about their market position than it does about any MillerCoors products.”
“When was the last time ABI used their Super Bowl ad to attack a competing brand?” Collins added. “Miller Lite has been gaining share for 17 straight quarters & someone’s feeling the heat!”
The Bud Light ad says more about their market position than it does about any @MillerCoors products. When was the last time ABI used their Super Bowl ad to attack a competing brand? Miller Lite has been gaining share for 17 straight quarters & someone’s feeling the heat! ? https://t.co/d17BhcBBXc
— Adam Collins (@AdamDCollins) February 4, 2019
Miller Lite had a more positive take on the advertisement and thanked Bud Light for their shoutout during one of the most watched televised events of the year.
Hey Bud Light, thanks for including us in our first Super Bowl ad in over 20 years. You forgot two things though… we have more taste and half the carbs! #itsmillertime
— Miller Lite (@MillerLite) February 4, 2019
“Hey Bud Light, thanks for including us in our first Super Bowl ad in over 20 years,” Miller Lite tweeted. “You forgot two things though… we have more taste and half the carbs! #itsmillertime”
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