Anheuser-Busch, the world’s largest brewing company, has announced a bold new rebrand for their popular Bud Light beer after Twitter CEO Elon Musk criticized their recent marketing campaign.
In a tweet that instantly went viral, Musk mocked the brewing giant’s “Easy Carry Contest” in partnership with internet celebrity Mulvaney, who sported an Audrey Hepburn-inspired outfit while promoting the contest on her social media channels.
The contest, which encouraged participants to upload videos of themselves carrying as many cans of Bud Light as humanly possible, offered a grand prize of $15,000.
However, Musk’s tweet not only called out the questionable contest but also poked fun at Anheuser-Busch’s upcoming line of Pride-themed cans featuring various pronouns.
In a remarkable display of corporate humility, Anheuser-Busch announced the rebranding of Bud Light within hours of Musk’s critique.
A spokesperson for the company stated, “We have always prided ourselves on being innovative and listening to our customers. It’s clear from Elon Musk’s tweet and the subsequent public response that we need to rethink our strategy.”
Although details of the rebrand remain scarce, sources close to Anheuser-Busch have reported that the new Bud Light campaign will feature a series of public apologies, as well as a more environmentally-friendly design for their cans.
Furthermore, the company has decided to scrap the release of the Pride-themed cans, stating that their original intentions were “misguided and tone-deaf.”
In response to the brewing company’s rapid changes, Elon Musk took to Twitter once more, this time praising Anheuser-Busch for their swift action.
“Glad to see @AnheuserBusch taking responsibility and making amends,” Musk tweeted. “Always remember, with great beer comes great responsibility.”
The internet, as always, had mixed reactions to the sudden rebrand. While some commended Anheuser-Busch for admitting their mistakes and taking corrective measures, others were more skeptical, questioning whether the company’s changes were genuine or merely a ploy to save face amidst public backlash.
Regardless of the public’s response, one thing is clear: Anheuser-Busch has learned the hard way that in today’s digital age, even the largest companies are not immune to the opinions of influential individuals, and that a single tweet can change the course of a marketing campaign overnight.
The brewing giant may be licking their wounds for now, but it’s likely they’ll return to the drawing board with a newfound respect for the power of social media and the importance of truly understanding their audience.
