Bud Light’s parent tries to counter Dylan Mulvaney’s backlash with Clydesdales promotional images across America

Hoping to win back the audience Bud Light and other partners abandoned after its endorsement deal with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Anheuser-Busch launched a new ad featuring its most iconic image.

The new patriotic ad, released Friday, features a Clydesdale horse walking past iconic landmarks from New York City to the Grand Canyon, with a festive voiceover conveying a patriotic message.

“This is a story bigger than beer,” says the narrator. “This is the story of the American spirit.”

At one point, the ad shows two people raising an American flag, one of whom places a hand on her heart.

“Brewed for those who have found opportunity in the challenge and hope for tomorrow,” says the ad’s narrator.

Bud Light’s parent company, Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV, is a Belgian multinational based in Leuven, Belgium. It has around 630 beer brands in 150 countries.

The company reportedly took a financial hit after Mulvaney’s approval. Bar owners, stores and retailers across the US are all reporting severe Bud Light sales declines, and celebrities such as Kid Rock, Travis Tritt and John Rich have all publicly condemned the Bud Light brand. AB’s marketing director called its former image “fragile”.

Brendan Whitworth, CEO of Anheuser-Busch, issued a statement on Friday in which he attempted to clarify the company’s position.

“We have thousands of partners, millions of fans, and a proud history of supporting our communities, military members, first responders, sports fans and hardworking Americans everywhere,” Whitworth said. “It was never our intention to be part of a conversation that divides people. Our job is to bring people together over a beer.”