Commentary

Dilly Dilly! Bud Light Awards More Bloody Work to Wieden

by Richard Whitman , Columnist, March 28, 2018

Dilly Dilly! Well not so much for Laundry Service. They’re kinda like the peasants in those oh-so-2017 ads for Bud Light that get dragged off to torture chambers for not providing “the King” with the gift of Bud Light.

As Adweek reported today, Laundry Service just lost the social-media account for Bud Light, which placed it with Wieden + Kennedy, the brand’s creative agency.

For whatever reason, the Dilly Dilly campaign seems to have captured the imagination of America.

I wonder why? Must be the violence. I mean the campaign is all about pleasing some autocratic ruler in some faraway land and time or face a violent end. Wonder where they got that idea?

But it’s the violence that really reigns in the campaign — from torture chambers to bloody battles driven by the want of a Bud Light. Entire armies in this campaign would kill for Bud Light.

Ha ha, very funny. Actually not so funny.

Especially at a time when guns and violence are tearing at the fabric of American society. Why reinforce that turbulence with your lame-ass advertising?

I guess we should be grateful the armies in the Bug Light commercials aren’t carrying assault rifles and aiming at kids. But who knows? Maybe the campaign will devolve to that.

Wieden, why not give this a go: Try to be funny. Sidesplittingly funny. In a way that doesn’t involve violence and death for the want of a fucking beer.

Think you can work with that brief?

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2 comments about "Dilly Dilly! Bud Light Awards More Bloody Work to Wieden".

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George Parker from Parker Consultants, March 29, 2018 at 8:35 a.m.
And sales of Bud Light (Nuns Piss) continue to decline...
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Tony Marban from Self, March 29, 2018 at 10:13 a.m.

You resent that W&K (I have no affiliation) took a pop culture connection and hit a home run because it offends your creative sensibilities? I've seen your mindset so many times. This isn't art; it's advertising. You're forgetting that the buzz means consumers like it, and that is a good thing for the brand. Sales aren't climbing, but most US domestic beers are in the same boat, and almost all domestic light beers are seeing declines. So, this concept would be a success if it slowed that trend even a little bit, but that's not going to happen in 1 quarter.

Is the concept sophomoric? Yes. But pointing to a so-called connection between Monty Python-ish humor and societal violence is so off base it's even dumber than Dilly Dilly.