Bud Light faces Twitter criticism over 'rapey' tagline
Bud Light and Anheuser Busch are facing criticism over the beer’s tagline, part of the ‘Up for Whatever’ campaign, which some believe is supportive of rape.
Consumers took to Twitter today to share their disdain for the tagline which reads, "The perfect beer for removing ‘no’ from your vocabulary."
I'll be physically unable to process any sentiment that involves trying to convince me Bud Light didn’t know it was making a rape joke there
— Andrea Grimes (@andreagrimes) April 28, 2015
Calling the Bud Light PR Team, you're needed for clean up in the stupid/thoughtless decisions aisle... pic.twitter.com/4FfwicUbdx
— Oliver Gray (@OliverJGray) April 28, 2015
Bud Light: The Rapey Beer. pic.twitter.com/J4mjBxyIpJ
— Shane Nicholson (@ofvoid) April 28, 2015
I mean, sure, @budlight can't be held completely responsible for terrible human behavior, but that slogan isn't helping.
— Curtis Silver (@cebsilver) April 28, 2015
All ridiculousness aside, HOW did no one from Bud Light's PR team not anticipate this? Humanity fail, PR fail. Everyone gets an F.
— Albertine Watson (@littlebluerobot) April 28, 2015
Hey @budlight every frat party this weekend is gonna be crazy right? We're serving Bud Light. #upforwhatever #neversayno
— Curtis Silver (@cebsilver) April 28, 2015
Nice one, @AnheuserBusch, way to promote #rapeculture with your terrible product. http://t.co/5i7GxaZwut via @rachelzarrell
— Tim Brown (@NoriNam30) April 28, 2015
Shoutout to @budlight for the rapiest tagline of the year. Straight from the 1940s.
— emily (@emilybhoff) April 28, 2015
@Budweiser @budlight boycott, anyone? WHAT THE ACTUAL...? Was ANYONE at your company thinking? https://t.co/WOPK0rKSPe
— Emily Johnson (@johnsonemilyp) April 28, 2015
Umm Bud light. Wtf
— Escape Artist (@ImageFeeder) April 28, 2015
In a statement to The Drum, Alexander Lambrecht, Bud Light’s vice president responded to the outrage by saying that the messages on the bottles were “intended to encourage spontaneous fun”.
He added: “It’s clear that this message missed the mark, and we regret it. We would never condone disrespectful or irresponsible behavior.”
It is unclear whether Anheuser Busch will discontinue the campaign.
Sign up for The Drum's Daily US newsletter to keep up with the latest in American marketing and media.