Bud Light has recruited a hero of its past, the Bud Knight, to reinforce its message on social media.
Is he a white knight?
Bud Light on Monday reawakened a hero from its advertising past when the “Bud Knight” tweeted for the first time since February 2021. The character was established in 2018 by Bud Light's then-agency Wieden+Kennedy as part of the brand’s “Dilly Dilly” universe.
On Monday, the account wrote “Yeah, I’m thinking I’m back,” which was subsequently quote-tweeted by Bud Light’s Twitter account, saying “Guess who’s back?”
The return of the character—which is being handled by The Martin Agency—comes as Bud Light attempts to move on from its own social media disaster—an Instagram promotion with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney in April that triggered a boycott that sent sales reeling.
Todd Allen, VP of marketing for Bud Light, confirmed the Bud Knight was back.
“Since inception, the Bud Knight has shown up to remind fans that the best moments are made better when celebrated with a Bud Light,” Allen said in a statement. “The Bud Knight is an iconic character, and he’s coming back to delight fans on social media, reinforcing our message that Bud Light is easy to drink, easy to enjoy this summer.”
The reintroduction intermingles advertising from Bud Light’s past and present. The brand’s new advertising, introduced earlier this year, steered clear of the slapstick humor and over-the-top characters typical of Bud Light’s past. Wieden+Kennedy was dropped as the brand’s agency of record last year as Anomaly took over the flagship Bud Light account. The Martin Agency took over Bud Light line extensions.
Bud Knight’s first post was met with derision from Bud Light’s detractors, who seem determined to abandon the brand and not just boycott it.
[Below: Bud Light's 2018 Super Bowl ad featuring the Bud Knight]
