71 - Business, Agriculture, And Beer Commercials

By now you've heard about and most likely seen the Bud Light Super Bowl commercial. The spot proudly proclaims Bud Light doesn't contain corn syrup whereas the brand's two biggest competitors do. Many of our co-horts in the Business of Agriculture - particularly corn growers- are up in arms. While I'm a pro-corn guy from a corn state, I'm gonna tell you in this episode why the commercial was probably good marketing on Bud Light's part. I'll also look a little deeper and explain why this commercial ties nicely with Anheuser Busch's other two commercials, one for Budweiser and the other for Mich Ultra Pure Gold. The theme is socially conscious marketing. One spot touts environmentalism, one sells nature and organic compliance, and the "corn-troversial" one distances itself from a common villain: high fructose corn syrup. While we in Ag may not like it (and we may even feel singled out as corn producers) these are the realities of the marketplace.