Bloomberg reports that Bud Light has gotten itself into trouble with the nation’s corn lobby.
At issue is a commercial run during the Super Bowl last night, in which Bud Light did something unusual - it called out competitors Coors Light and Mille Lite for using corn syrup in its beer, and made the point that it does not.
The story notes that “American consumption of high fructose corn syrup started to fall at the beginning of the millennium when it was linked to the country’s high rate of obesity. This was due in part to decreasing consumption of soda; soft drink makers have also moved away from corn syrup, replacing it with sugar.
“Much of the reaction on social media to the Bud Light ads suggests most people didn’t know beer contained corn syrup at all. Perhaps the corn lobby wanted to keep it that way.”
In a Twitter response to the commercial, the National Corn Growers Association tweeted at Bud Light that “America’s corn farmers are disappointed in you. Our office is right down the road! We would love to discuss with you the many benefits of corn! Thanks @MillerLight and @CoorsLite for supporting our industry.”
At issue is a commercial run during the Super Bowl last night, in which Bud Light did something unusual - it called out competitors Coors Light and Mille Lite for using corn syrup in its beer, and made the point that it does not.
The story notes that “American consumption of high fructose corn syrup started to fall at the beginning of the millennium when it was linked to the country’s high rate of obesity. This was due in part to decreasing consumption of soda; soft drink makers have also moved away from corn syrup, replacing it with sugar.
“Much of the reaction on social media to the Bud Light ads suggests most people didn’t know beer contained corn syrup at all. Perhaps the corn lobby wanted to keep it that way.”
In a Twitter response to the commercial, the National Corn Growers Association tweeted at Bud Light that “America’s corn farmers are disappointed in you. Our office is right down the road! We would love to discuss with you the many benefits of corn! Thanks @MillerLight and @CoorsLite for supporting our industry.”
- KC's View:
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In an evening when the game wasn’t exactly scintillating, the half time show was sort of boring and the commercials largely uninspired, I thought the Bud Light commercial about corn syrup was very good … and count me among the people who had no idea there was corn syrup in some beer.
