It appears that baseball great Ken Griffey Jr. has unwittingly found himself in the middle of a heated controversy surrounding Bud Light. The company recently made a failed attempt at trying to appeal to a younger, more progressive demographic by teaming up with transgendered performance artist Dylan Mulvaney, sparking outraged boycotts from loyal Bud Light customers.
The backlash has been so severe that Bud Light has fallen out of the top ten best-sellers, and even its CEO has refused to issue an apology. Things have gotten so heated that now prominent figures such as Garth Brooks, Kid Rock, and the latest addition to the cast of characters, Ken Griffey Jr., have been sucked into the fray.
That’s right. Budweiser’s partnership with the Hall of Fame Seattle Mariner Great didn’t go over too well. The first video ad to be released featured Griffey Jr.’s memories over a cold beer with his father, Griffey Sr. Despite it being a classic Budweiser ad, it hasn’t been met with kind reviews from Budweiser’s detractors and former fans.
Griffey Jr. unwisely signed onto the baseball-inspired Budweiser x Ken Griffey Jr. All-Star Collection, and now the once-beloved baseball star has found himself in an awkward position with no way out. No matter what he does or doesn’t do, it is unlikely that he will ever be able to regain the pristine image that he used to have.
Many are criticizing Bud Light for creating such a divisive atmosphere. In a market that should normally be focused on enjoying and celebrating the game, consumers are instead being dragged into an external political battle. People on all sides of the debate are taking a firm stance on how they should or should not be associating with the company, and Griffey Jr. has become a symbol of Budweiser’s missteps.
For his part, Griffey Jr. has yet to make a statement regarding the controversy. The fact that he has not allowed himself to get dragged further into this mess is probably a smart move. However, one can only hope that this misstep does not affect his longstanding career. Let’s just hope that this once-loved baseball great makes it out of this judgment-filled controversy unscathed.
No thanks, I prefer beer that knows the difference between men and women and mocks neither.
— Ron Duncan (@RonDuncan7) July 6, 2023
All you have to do is say you are sorry.
— Felipe (@Dr0pTableUsers) July 6, 2023