Travis Kelce, an NFL player, appeared in a new July Fourth advertisement for Bud Light that included a return to “fratty” comedy.
The vice president of marketing for Bud Light, Alissa Heinerscheid, infamously doubled back on her criticism of the beer brand’s ethos at the beginning of the company’s Dylvan Mulvaney marketing crisis.
“Bud Light has a reputation for being a quirky, out-of-date brand of comedy, therefore having a different strategy was crucial,” she stated. What does the phrase develop and elevate mean? It signifies inclusion,” she continued.
Bud Light resorted to Kelce for “Backyard Grunts,” an advertisement with no speech and just guys making noises, as sales began to decline. The NFL tight end sits down in a lawn chair and groans in relief in the commercial, which is then followed by other guys unwinding and groaning as they crack open Bud Lights.
However, as viewers pointed out, Kelce never holds or consumes the product in the advertisement.
The most popular YouTube comment read, “It’s amusing how Travis did not even touch or drink their stuff, yet they still compensated him.”
According to NFL Players Association partnerships and endorsement guidelines, Kelce and other NFL players are prohibited from promoting alcoholic drinks.
“Companies that market alcoholic drinks when the intended audience for the event, program, or venue is below the legal drinking age are subject to restrictions.”
Although the language is ambiguous, it is commonly known that NFL players are not permitted to engage in direct alcohol sales. As a result, Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes promoted a flashlight in a Coors Light commercial rather than beer.
The ad choice is undoubtedly odd for a business fighting dwindling sales, which had fallen by 28% as of June 24, 2023, as reported by the New York Post, with Kelce not even touching or drinking the beer.
While the brand has consistently received criticism from celebrities, the advertisement has also received a great deal of mockery in its comment sections.
While the advertisement was airing, comedian Joe Rogan criticized the beer industry behemoth for choosing transgender actor Mulvaney to appear in advertisements, branding Mulvaney “mentally ill” as well as an “attention whore.”
Recently, competitor beer and UFC sponsor Modelo overtook Bud Light as the most popular beer in the country.
