Comedian Shane Gillis is set to team up with beer brand Bud Light following a challenging year for the company, as revealed in an announcement on Instagram.
“Welcome to the team @shanemgillis, excited to be a part of your 2024 tour,” Bud Light posted on their Instagram account.
In response, Gillis shared his excitement about the partnership on his own Instagram account, writing, “Excited to announce partnership with Bud Light #budlightpartner.”
Bud Light faced a significant decline in sales last year after it sparked controversy by partnering with transgender influencer and activist Dylan Mulvaney.
Mulvaney was named a Bud Light spokesperson to promote the March Madness basketball tournament in April, which led to a prolonged boycott of the brand.
Mulvaney showcased Bud Light cans featuring her face, marking a milestone in her viral “365 Days of Girlhood” series on TikTok, where she documented her experiences in her first year identifying as a transgender woman.
The backlash against the partnership resulted in plummeting Bud Light sales, leading to the company losing its position as America’s top-selling beer brand.
Additionally, Bud Light’s former marketing VP, Alissa Heinerscheid, discussed the brand’s approach to inclusivity in an interview, suggesting a need for a shift in tone and a campaign that appeals to both women and men.
Heinerscheid’s comments sparked controversy, and she has reportedly been fired since then.
Gillis, known for his controversial past, faced backlash in 2019 when old jokes from his podcast resurfaced, leading to his firing from “Saturday Night Live.”
Gillis recently appeared on the “Joe Rogan Experience” podcast, discussing the Bud Light partnership and its aftermath.
“It became a joke,” Gillis told Rogan. “That’s tough to overcome, marketing-wise. It’s tough to get people to order a Bud Light publicly. You’re gonna get made fun of.”
“There’s never been a brand that has been hit like this before,” Rogan added.
Todd Allen, Vice President of Marketing for Bud Light, expressed enthusiasm about partnering with Gillis for his 2024 Live Comedy Tour, highlighting humor as a core aspect of the Bud Light brand and its commitment to easy enjoyment.
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