#BudLightFail: Brand tweets dumb NFL playoffs photo featuring the wrong teams

Published January 17, 2014 at 8:37 am

Here’s an important rule of thumb for all brands to keep top of mind: If you’re handed a brilliant web based marketing opportunity, try not to mess it up. Unfortunately, this is precisely what Bud Light recently did.

After leading the Denver Broncos to a 24-17 victory over the San Diego Chargers in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs on Sunday, January 12, quarterback Peyton Manning stood before reporters for a typical post-game press conference. It’s safe to say that the future Hall of Famer probably had a lot on his mind at that moment, such as preparing for the AFC Championship Game against long-time rival Tom Brady and the New England Patriots this coming weekend, and reporters didn’t hesitate to shower him with tough questions.

NESN notes that in addition to his thoughts on the upcoming game, they asked the 37-year-old “how his surgically repaired neck was feeling, and what was weighing on his mind in terms of his future in the NFL.” Manning’s response, given the seriousness of those questions, was surprisingly light-hearted.

“What’s weighing on my mind is how soon I can get a Bud Light in my mouth after this win,” he said, causing a wave of laughter to erupt before him.

There are a lot brands that pay good money for Manning’s endorsement, but Bud Light isn’t one of them. The beer company was essentially handed the perfect marketing opportunity, and what did they do with it?

They wrote one tweet saying they’re “proud to be Peyton’s refreshment coordinator” and tweeted a photo of Bud Light cans sporting Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers, Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints logos with the caption, “And then there were 4.” This would be fine if, you know, the Colts and the Saints had actually made it to the AFC and NFC Championships. But they didn’t. The New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks did.

Bud Light quickly fixed its mistake, but not in time to escape the wrath of sports websites.

The moral here? Successful brands will always be on the lookout for easy marketing opportunities, they just need to take their time and make sure they don’t mess them up.