Somehow Bud Light Missed The Entire #RapeCulture Conversation
Seriously, is your entire company really not paying attention?
imgur As if getting raped when you're passed out drunk isn't traumatizing enough, Bud Light, and what we'd imagine was an entire team of advertisers and marketers, pitched, approved and went to market with what we guess they all thought was a winning tagline: "The perfect beer for removing the word 'no' from your vocabulary for the night."
They even added a hashtag, as one does: #UpForWhatever ... Yes. Really.
Needless to say, social media has gone (rightfully) berserk.
We're sure Anheuser Busch thought this particular segment of its (lecherously creepy) #upforwhatever campaign was clever as hell. We imagine a lot fist bumps and man hugs around a board room table when it was OK'd. Or maybe they just brought in some brilliant new marketing talent from Urban Outfitters.
Sure, they didn't mean for this tagline to be taken as condoning rape or a commentary on rape culture.
And sure, they've apologized. "It’s clear that this particular message missed the mark, and we regret it. We would never condone disrespectful or irresponsible behavior. As a result, we have immediately ceased production of this message on all bottles,” A-B's vice president said in a statement that didn't really say "hey, we're sorry" and never actually uttered that dirty, four-letter word: "rape."
The fact a major American business ever let this phrase see the light of day proves that: 1) people are still denying that rape culture even exists in this country, 2) people in power don't care that they are part the problem, and 3) NO ONE IS LISTENING TO THIS IMPORTANT CONVERSATION. (Yes, we're yelling. Can you hear us now?)
Seriously, did no one along the way raise concern about this? Not one single person?
This is heart-breaking on so many levels.
Not only does it perpetuate the sickening notion that it's OK for men to get women drunk to "have sex" with them, it's a huge slap in the face to any woman who's ever been raped — telling them once again that boys will be boys and you were asking for it. And it proves that the people with power and influence refuse to use those gifts for good.