Budweiser's new pro-America ad set Twitter ablaze over the weekend as critics derided the company for a misguided attempt at quelling the backlash over Bud Light's endorsement partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
Budweiser's latest advertisement, which was released on social media Friday, features one of the brand's famous Clydesdale horses traversing the country from New York City to the Grand Canyon, passing by scenes in the American heartland as a narrator delivers a patriotic message.
"This is a story bigger than beer," the ad's narrator says in the ad. "This is the story of the American spirit."
As the ad plays, the Clydesdale horse passes by some of the most famous American landmarks, showcasing the New York City skyline, the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., small towns, and farmland. At one point, the ad showcases two people raising an American flag as one places her hand over her heart. The ad also makes reference to September 11 and was intended to bring people together, according to CEO Brendan Whitworth.
"Brewed for those who found opportunity in challenge and hope in tomorrow," the ad's narrator says as the horse passes by the flag-raising duo.
The patriotic ad comes as Anheuser-Busch, which owns Budweiser, continues to deal with backlash over a partnership between another one of its popular brands, Bud Light, and Mulvaney. The partnership has caused a significant financial loss for the brand as calls to boycott the beer have spread across the country.
The new ad seeks to move away from the controversial partnership with patriotic messaging and imagery, but online critics said Budweiser's feeble attempt to regain support is poor in taste and urged the brand to apologize instead.
"Hey @AnheuserBusch, if you're at a point where you're literally referencing 9/11 in hopes that it would make us flyover yokels run to the store to salute a 12-pack of Bud Light, you should just apologize instead. Hoping we're stupid enough to buy this ad is insulting," Red State senior editor Brandon Morse tweeted.
"You aren’t putting that genie back in the bottle, guys," "Rambo" and "Black Hawk Down" actor Matthew Marsden replied.
"Budweiser release pro-American ad 2 weeks after Dylan Mulvaney backlash," former trans influencer and detransition activist Oli London tweeted. The new advert, comes after Anheuser-Busch CEO released a statement which failed to apologise for the backlash and instead talked about traditional values and being pro-America."
Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton slammed corporate owners for "trying to pretend their support of transgender extremist who targets children never happened."
"Nice try @budweiserusa and @budligh," Former U.S. attorney Brett Tolman responded.
"HAHAAHAHA Budweiser new ad shows the freedom tower and horses. If they ended it by saying Investigate 9/11 I would be like "that’s dope," comedian Tim Dillon wrote.
Soulfinder series creator Douglas Ernst posted a meme of a screaming woman with the caption, "Bring out the Clydesdales!"
"Lol, hard pivot huh?" Chair of the Libertarian National Committee Angela Mcardle tweeted.
"This is a "we're sorry" ad. Notice the American flag, working class, farmers, freedom, power. All American values.High budget production compared to the selfie camera recorded video by Dylan Mulvaney. They know they f'd up," Video producer Damon Imani wrote.
Gay writer Kurt Thigpen also took issue with the brand's 180-degree shift.
"Looks like they put this ad out to rehabilitate their image. Notice there are no LGBTQ+ folks. Cool cool cool," he wrote.
Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth addressed the controversy for the first time Friday, issuing a statement saying the company never intended to divide people but stopped short of apologizing for the Mulvaney campaign.
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"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."
Fox Business' Michael Lee contributed to this report.
