Bud Light has been in the spotlight recently following backlash from conservative Americans after transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney received a personalized can of the drink.
The controversy surrounding Bud Light started earlier this year Mulvaney took her Instagram on April 1 to share a promotional video of her dressed up as Audrey Hepburn and drinking the beverage.
The ad was also to promote its March Madness competition, which happened to fall around the same time as Mulvaney celebrating her first year of being a woman since transitioning.
The influencer had taken photos of commemorative cans the company sent to her with her face on them as a way to celebrate the "365 Days of Girlhood" milestone she reached.
Following the collaboration, the beer brand came under fire, including from conservative celebrities such as Kid Rock and Bri Teresi.
The brand's parent company, Anheuser-Busch InBev (ABI), defended their choices, as the CEO Michel Doukeris said in a statement: "We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer."
He added that a large portion of the backlash came as people assumed that the partnership with Mulvaney was going to be long-standing.
The brand was criticized further after it attempted to distance itself from the campaign, this time from the LGBTQ+ community, who felt that the company's support was just another case of corporate "rainbow-washing". In fact, certain bars even removed all Anheuser-Busch products from their menus.
As reported by CBS News, this had a knock-on effect and Bud Light, which had been the highest-selling beer in the US for two decades, was overthrown by Modelo.
It seems like Bud Light is scrambling to recover some of the ground it lost as they have reintroduced Bud Knight, a character they used during advertising campaigns that were last seen in 2021.
Taking to Twitter, the Bud Knight account posted a short video of the Knight walking into the shot, with the simple caption: "Yeah, I'm thinking I'm back."
As per Fox Business, Todd Allen, VP of marketing for Bud Light said: "For over 40 years, Bud Light has been delivering great quality beer for our 21+ consumers that’s easy to drink and easy to enjoy.
We celebrate time with family and friends, whether through sports, music, or small moments together because that is what easy enjoyment is about. That’s where I’m taking inspiration for our summer campaign."
He added that people have "love" and "passion" for Bud Light and that consumers want the brand to get back to being the "beer of easy enjoyment".
"The Bud Knight is an iconic character, and he’s coming back to delight fans on social media, reinforcing our message that Bud Light is Easy to Drink, Easy to Enjoy this summer," Allen added.
It's unclear whether this marketing strategy will pay off for the brand, as the scrutiny and boycotting of the beer in the last few months has been intense.