Consumers Win as Court Rules that Bud Light’s Ingredient Transparency-Focused Super Bowl Ads Can Continue to Run

And here’s Anheuser-Busch’s take on the court ruling:

NEW YORK, NY  — Late Friday evening the court in the Western District of Wisconsin ruled that Bud Light’s Super Bowl ad titled “Special Delivery” can continue to air on TV and online. “Special Delivery” and all of Bud Light’s TV ads from Super Bowl LIII that focus on the ingredients used to brew Bud Light, Miller Lite and Coors Light may continue to air as per the court’s ruling.

“Yesterday’s ruling is a victory for consumers as it allows Bud Light’s Super Bowl advertising to continue,” said Cesar Vargas, Anheuser-Busch VP of Legal & Corporate Affairs. “As the number one selling beer in the U.S., Bud Light remains committed to leading the alcohol industry by providing more transparency for consumers including letting them know about the ingredients that are used to brew their beer. More transparency is good for the entire industry as it responds to a clear consumer demand.”

By allowing these ads to continue, consumers will now be more informed about the ingredients used to brew their favorite beers – an effort started by Bud Light earlier this year when it became the first-ever U.S. beer to include a comprehensive ingredients label on its packaging.

Excerpts from the ruling include:

• Bud Light’s Super Bowl ads letting consumers know that Miller Lite and Coors Light are brewed with corn syrup are permitted
  • Page 22: “There is no dispute that the statements that Miller Lite and Coors Light ‘use’ or are ‘made with’ or ‘brewed with’ corn syrup are literally true.”
    

  • Page 25: Bud Light stating, “‘made with,’ ‘brewed with’ or ‘uses’ in ads do not disparage corn syrup or otherwise expressly draw attention to any negative health consequences.”
    

  • Page 31: The court concludes that MillerCoors “has not demonstrated a likelihood of success in demonstrating that the advertisements solely using the language ‘brewed with,’ ‘made with,’ or ‘uses’ corn syrup are misleading.
• Bud Light can tell consumers that MillerCoors uses corn syrup, a less expensive ingredient, to brew Miller Lite and Coors Light
  • Page 35: MillerCoors “points to statements that Miller Lite and Coors Light selected corn syrup to ‘save money’ or because it is ‘less expensive.’ [MillerCoors] contends that these statements ‘falsely suggest . . . that there is something inferior, wrong, or unhealthy about beer that is not brewed from rice.’ (Pl.’s Br. (dkt. #9) 31.) [MillerCoors] does not challenge the truthfulness of these statements. Instead, [MillerCoors] appears to contend that representations about the relative cost of corn syrup is misleading because a consumer would conclude that it is less healthy. For reasons addressed above, however, this claim is too much of a stretch to warrant discussion.”

Bud Light will continue to run its Super Bowl ad “Special Delivery” in the coming weeks along with several other ads from the campaign. 

ABOUT ANHEUSER-BUSCH
For more than 165 years, Anheuser-Busch has been woven into the cultural fabric of the United States, carrying on a legacy of brewing great-tasting, high-quality beers that have satisfied beer drinkers for generations. Today, we own and operate 23 breweries, 14 distributorships and 23 agricultural and packaging facilities, and have more than 18,000 colleagues across the United States. Anheuser-Busch is home to several of America’s most recognizable beer brands, including Budweiser, Bud Light, Michelob ULTRA and Stella Artois, as well as a number of regional brands that provide beer drinkers with a choice of the best-tasting craft beers in the industry.

From responsible drinking programs and emergency drinking water donations to industry-leading sustainability efforts, we are guided by an unwavering commitment to support the communities we call home.

For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com or follow Anheuser-Busch on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. 

ABOUT BUD LIGHT
Introduced in 1982, Bud Light is a premium light lager with a superior drinkability that has made it the best-selling and most popular beer in the United States. Bud Light is brewed using a blend of premium aroma hop varieties, both American-grown and imported, and a combination of barley malts and rice. The light-bodied beer features a fresh, clean and subtle hop aroma, delicate malt sweetness and a crisp finish that delivers the ultimate refreshment. For more information, visit www.BudLight.com.