In a surprising turn of events, Miller Lite’s campaign for Women’s History Month, titled “Bad $#!T to Good $#!T,” has faced significant changes and challenges since its release. The campaign aimed to criticize the industry’s objectification of women but has remained relatively silent compared to Bud Light’s recent controversial association with Dylan Mulvaney.
Originally released on March 7, the ad promised to put an end to Miller Lite’s history of sexist advertising and instead support female brewers by providing them with fertilizer to grow quality hops. However, the ad is no longer accessible on Miller Lite’s social media accounts, including Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram, where comments have been disabled and previously posted comments have been deleted. Additionally, the accompanying video on YouTube is now “unlisted,” making it difficult to find through the brand’s channel or search results.
In the commercial, comedian and actress Ilana Glazer highlights the fact that women were among the first brewers in history and criticizes the beer industry’s treatment of female pioneers, particularly by making them wear bikinis. Glazer advocates for beer to make amends to women while showcasing classic Miller Lite ads featuring scantily clad women.
However, finding the ad has become a challenge, with critics sharing and roasting it on social media. It remains unclear whether the ad was ever available on Twitter, as a search for it on Miller Lite’s account yielded no results. A representative from Molson Coors, the producer of Miller Lite, defended the ad, stating that the video covered topics like worm feces and the argument against women mud wrestling for beer marketing, which should not be contentious.
Interestingly, the Miller Lite campaign went live a month before Bud Light faced its own controversy surrounding Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender Internet celebrity. Bud Light personalized a can for Mulvaney’s “365 Days of Girlhood,” but the gesture backfired and resulted in a 23.4% sales drop compared to the same period last year.
In the March 7 ad, Glazer mentions that Miller Lite aims to clean up not only its own act but the entire beer industry. The video gained traction on Monday when a Twitter user shared it, criticizing Miller Lite for joining the “woke cult.” The video quickly accumulated over 3.1 million views.
Critics attribute these incidents to the influence of young gender studies students in boardrooms and their subsequent “woke crusades” against their own customers. The fallout from Bud Light’s controversy led some to declare the demise of Miller Lite as well. Users expressed their disillusionment and declared intentions to stop drinking or switch to other brands like Yuengling, which has gained attention for its limited-edition cans in support of veterans.
While Bud Light faces falling sales and the firing of marketing executives, the Miller Lite ad has largely gone unnoticed. However, the challenges faced by Anheuser-Busch extend beyond Bud Light, as Budweiser and Michelob Ultra have also experienced significant sales drops in recent weeks.