Just when you thought you had poured out your last Bud Light, they are back in the news. Yesterday, MillerCoors — owner of Miller Lite and Coors Light — filed a lawsuit for damages from the Bud Light Super Bowl ad, citing false advertising and calling for the controversial ad to be removed.
While the marketing department had their fun of going back and forth with social media campaigns and ads (see below), the lawyers have now stepped in. The lawsuit accuses Anheuser-Busch of starting a “false and misleading advertising campaign” that said Miller Lite and Coors Light use corn syrup and insinuated the use of high-fructose corn syrup.
In the lawsuit, MillerCoors provides deliberate deception tactics from Anheuser-Busch through the use of a focus group. In this focus group, AB found out that consumers don’t understand the difference between corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup — which has been linked to obesity. Even with the difference, MillerCoors reiterates that none of the corn syrup is actually found in the final product, it is used in the fermentation process only.
Further in the lawsuit, MillerCoors shows appreciation towards corn farmers. “MillerCoors use of corn syrup as a brewing adjunct has never been a secret. And MillerCoors is not ashamed of its use of corn syrup as a fermentation aid. Far from it. The company has a major commitment and partnership with United States farmers who proudly grow the corn that goes into the syrup.”
MillerCoors calls for the court to put an end to all of Bud Light’s corn syrup ads and campaigns. In addition, MillerCoors asked for Bud Light to run new advertisements to “correct the false and misleading impressions” from the Super Bowl ad.
In case you have been under a rock and didn’t see the original Super Bowl ad, you can view that here. Miller Lite wasn’t going to take that sitting down. You can view their clap back below.
Not to be outdone, Bud Light’s King had the last say … or so he thought.
