Craft beer continues to assume more shares in the market and traditional beer companies like Budweiser have fought back with shrewd advertising campaigns.
The latest ad spot for Bud Light took this conundrum on satirically. In the commercial, a king holds courts as subjects gift him packages of Bud Light. He thanks them for being loyal friends of the crown, until one individual brings a limited edition mead he’s been enjoying. For this, he’s punished. Then everyone says Dilly Dilly.
This ad went viral because hearing someone say Dilly Dilly is fun for people to say when they’re drunk.
Opting to capitalize on the hyped catchphrase, Modist Brewing Company decided to release a Double IPA called “Dilly Dilly.” That beer didn’t go unnoticed by Anheuser-Busch, who produces Bud Light, and sent the small Minneapolis brewpub a cease and desist order.
Except this wasn’t any cease and desist. Instead, Anheuser sent a town crier to deliver the message.
“Let it be known that any beer shared between friends is a fine beer indeed and we are duly flattered by your loyal tribute,” he says. “However Dilly Dilly is the motto of our realm, so we humbly ask that you keep this to a limited edition.
“This is by order of the king, disobedience shall be met with additional scrolls, then a formal warning, then a private tour of the Pit of Misery.”
Anheuser Busch then gifted a peace offering to Modist Brewing, by giving them two tickets to Super Bowl LII, which will be held in Minneapolis. The town crier also mentions those in attendance will be lucky enough to enjoy some Bud Light.
Here’s what Modist’s Dan Wellendorf posted on Facebook:
What happens when your (slightly naive) ideas turn into Bud Light execs and their ad agency staying up all night to come up with a script and then flying someone out of New York at 8 o’clock in the morning to be there for your beer release and then give you a cease and desist letter and tickets to the Super Bowl.
Dilly Dilly!
