The Fourth of July is traditionally one of the biggest beer-selling holidays of the year, and for the past decade or so, Anheuser-Busch InBev has capitalized on the holiday by remaking Budweiser with a Stars and Stripes label and a jingoistic name. Known colloquially as AmeriCans, these seasonal rebrands present a vision of the United States that simply doesn’t exist in reality — a lesson ABI is learning in real time as it tries to assuage transphobes with platitudes three months into the 2023 Bud Light backlash.
While ABI still struggles with this self-inflicted blow, America is in the midst of a polarized political landscape. While rising moral tolerance is evident, the general public is also more skeptical than ever of the government, the Supreme Court, and the media’s alleged “fake news.” Trust is in the gutter, and people just aren’t as proud of our nation and its flag as they used to be. Consequently, the AmeriCans, greeted with fratty Fourth of July fanfare when they premiered in 2011, are losing their relevance.
This “Taplines” holiday special features your host Dave Infante flying solo and reprising some of his reporting about the AmeriCan, the Bud Light situation, and selling beer in this contemporary political landscape. Tune in for more.
