Bud Light partners with Emmitt Smith and Peyton Manning in hopes of boosting sales

Bud Light has recruited the help of two football icons for an ad campaign called “Easy Rounds” as the beer brand continues to win consumers back after a tumultuous year.

The new ad campaign, which debuted at the start of the month, features former Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning ordering a round of Bud Light for everyone at a bar. Manning is seen throwing cans at different people as if throwing footballs, with one person catching a can and sliding onto the ground, only to look up and see retired Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith.

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The ad ends with Smith and Manning taking their Bud Light cans and throwing them out into the crowd.

The “Easy Rounds” campaign marks the latest move by Bud Light as it tries to repair its reputation among consumers, as the brand has undergone financial woes throughout most of 2023. Earlier this year, the beer brand partnered with transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney, sparking backlash online and among consumers.

“It’s an iconic brand, and it’s been around sports for a long time,” Smith said when asked by Fox Business why consumers should give Bud Light another chance. “Every brand itself goes through iterations of highs and lows. Even the Dallas Cowboys are going through iterations of highs and lows, and it’s been a low for a long period of time because we haven’t been to the NFC Championship Game.”

In October, Bud Light’s parent company, Anheuser-Busch, reported a 13.5% decline in its third-quarter U.S. revenue per 100 liters, which is a key measure used for beer sales. Anheuser-Busch InBev also reported its sales to U.S. retailers going down by almost 17% “primarily due to the volume decline of Bud Light.”

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The higher-ups at Anheuser-Busch are hoping the beer brand will be able to make a comeback, with AB InBev CEO Michel Doukeris citing a poll that stated 40% of ex-Bud Light consumers were willing to buy the drink again. He also noted the company has “a good grip on what we need to do.”

Bud Light recently made a deal to be the sponsor for the Ultimate Fighting Championship for six years. UFC President Dana White has defended the partnership with Bud Light, arguing he is looking at “all the good things” the beer brand’s parent company has done, such as employing veterans and financially helping farmers.