Bud Light is trying to bounce back from the backlash over its woke controversy.
The company hoped that the start of football season would save them.
But Bud Light is facing one big problem that could end any hopes of a comeback.
Bud Light is still being decimated by the boycott that broke out after the brand partnered with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney in April.
Sales are still down over 30% on a weekly basis with the boycott erasing $27 billion in shareholder value for parent company Anheuser-Busch in the blink of an eye.
Bud Light is scrambling to change the brand’s downward trajectory heading into the most important part of the year for sales.
Beer and football season go hand in hand for many fans.
The beleaguered light beer brand historically has spent most of its advertising budget during football season.
Bud Light is a long-time official sponsor of the NFL and hopes that the kick-off of football season will lure back former customers.
Competitors are trying to capitalize on the light beer’s toxic status by going on the offensive with new ad campaigns aimed at football fans.
Miller Lite, owned by brewing conglomerate Molson-Coors, will be ramping up its advertising on ESPN’s fantasy football app as the lead sponsor.
The popular fantasy football app was used by more than 11 million people last season.
“Fans are engaged in fantasy football seven days a week,” senior marketing manager for Miller Lite James Nanney said. “Whether they’re setting a lineup, checking stats, or ribbing their buddies over text, we want them to have a Miller Lite nearby.”
Miller Lite is also partnering with gambling app DraftKings and increasing its advertising on fantasy football podcasts.
Coors Light, another Molson-Coors beer, is leaning into college football with an expanded marketing campaign.
The brand is a sponsor of ESPN’s popular pregame show College Gameday and is leveraging that to reach fans of the college game.
Coors Light is running a series of football-themed promotions during college games including “Nothing Like Gameday,” which celebrates tailgate culture.
For years Bud Light and other Anheuser-Busch brands were the dominant force in beer advertising during the football season.
Miller Lite and Coors Light are building on their momentum with football fans after they were able to advertise during the Super Bowl for the first time in more than 30 years after Anheuser-Busch gave up its exclusive rights to the big game.
Bud Light was dethroned as the best-selling beer in the country by Modelo Especial and more of its competitors are nipping at its heels.
Miller Lite saw its sales volume increase by 20% while Coors Light saw an increase of 25% for the 13 weeks ending on August 20.
Now Bud Light’s competitors will be able to chip away at the brand’s plummeting share of the beer market during football season.
