In a wild, face-saving move, Bud Light is partnering with popular comedian and original cancellation survivor Shane Gillis for an unlikely brand deal, both sides announced on Instagram.
Gillis, who Saturday Night Live hired and then fired shortly after woke folks discovered jokes he made on his podcast, announced the deal on his Instagram page.
“Excited to announce partnership with Bud Light #budlightpartner,” Gillis wrote.
The deal comes not long after an appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience, where Gillis and Rogan bandy about whether or not Bud Light can rehabilitate its image in the wake of the Dylan Mulvaney disaster.
“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.”
Joe Rogan, Shane Gillis, Mark Normand and Ari Shaffir debate the long term effects of the Bud Light boycott. pic.twitter.com/xxV7otgCAz
— Mythinformed (@MythinformedMKE) May 30, 2023
Well, Shane, guess who’s gonna get made fun of now!
The hiring of Gillis, who has often joked about transgender people in his comedy specials, marks a full 180 for Bud Light and who they choose to align with. They’re clearly continuing to attempt damage control after losing a significant amount of market share following their partnership with transgender influencer, Dylan Mulvaney.
A report from The Hill estimates the company lost $27 billion in market value from April to June 2023, the time the Mulvaney sponsorship was announced. In June, parent company Anheuser-Busch reportedly fired the marketing executives responsible for the Mulvaney decision.
Then in October, Bud Light signed a massive nine figure deal with the UFC, the UFC’s largest partnership ever. (RELATED: ‘Bending The Knee’: Megyn Kelly Goes On Tirade Against Bud Light, Criticizes Kid Rock And Dana White)
Obviously trying to re-endear themselves to conservatives as well as everyday Americans sick of having the transgender agenda shoved in their face, it’s a savvy move from the company and possibly an indication America is ready to move on.
Kid Rock, who helped spark boycotts after firing a round full of ammunition at a case of Bud Light in April, expressed a desire to let the beer brand off the hook in December, telling Daily Caller co-founder Tucker Carlson, “Someone gets taught a lesson, they say, ‘We made a mistake.’ Alright man, let’s move on.” (RELATED: ‘F You Guys’: Kid Rock Says He Confronted Anheuser-Busch CEO At UFC Fight)
Aside from Bud Light’s massive image issue, the deal makes sense prima facie. Gillis might actually be the top consumer of their product. He regularly deletes 20+ Bud Lights in one sitting during marathon recordings of the Joe Rogan Experience.
View this post on Instagram
For Gillis, this is a nice consolation prize after not getting The Daily Show hosting gig.
Kidding! But in all seriousness, he would be my slam dunk pick for the job. While admittedly not a Republican, Gillis joked that his history obsession is a sign of “early-onset Republicanism.” He often tells tales of the many diehard Trump supporters in his family, including his father. (RELATED: Shane Gillis’ New Stand-Up Comedy Routine Is Absolutely Hilarious)
As far as Bud Light goes … I’m still not drinking them. Come out and endorse Trump 2024 if you really have some balls, Bud Light.