Budweiser Makes New Enemy With Pro-America Ad

A patriotic advertisement Anheuser-Busch released on Friday in the wake of backlash over a partnership with a transgender influencer has now been criticized for featuring a "cruelly amputated" horse.

Animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) called out the brewing company for the "needless mutilation of horses' tails" over a Clydesdale shown in the ad which told viewers that Budweiser, one of the company's brands, was "rooted in the heart of America."

The ad was released after another of its beers, Bud Light, faced calls for a boycott over a partnership with Dylan Mulvaney, who has documented her first year of transitioning to being a woman to her more than 10 million TikTok followers. The row has crystalized a broader debate about the acceptance of transgender individuals in public life.

Following the boycott calls, supporters of Kari Lake, the Donald Trump-backed Republican candidate for Arizona governor in 2022, refused to drink the beer brand at an open bar at a rally in Iowa. Meanwhile, a bar owner in Kentucky said he had noticed Bud Light sparking rows between patrons.

Many prominent figures have also waded into the debate. Donald Trump Jr. and Marjorie Taylor Greene are among the political faces to have made reference to the row. Celebrities like Joe Rogan and Caitlyn Jenner have also weighed in. Since the controversy began, Anheuser-Busch's value on the stock market dropped by as much as $4 billion—a fall that could be partly fueled by investor fears over a potential boycott.

The new commercial came the same day as an open letter by Brendan Whitworth, the CEO of Anheuser-Busch, that said: "We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer."

Bud Light had remained silent on its social media channels for nearly two weeks before Whitworth's letter proclaiming his responsibility "for ensuring every consumer feels proud of the beer we brew."

The Budweiser ad features a Clydesdale horse galloping through rural scenes, past the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., and across the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. It also shows an American flag being raised in slow motion, as well as a father and son sharing a beer on a porch and the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

"This is a story bigger than beer," the commercial's voiceover says. "This is the story of the American spirit."

Following its release, many criticized the company online, either for appearing to pander to those outraged by the Bud Light partnership, or for not doing enough to quell the outrage.

Now PETA has added its voice to the chorus of outrage over the commercial, having previously claimed that its undercover operatives had found Anheuser-Busch amputates the tailbones of its Clydesdale horses—such as the one featured in the ad—which it uses for promotional material and for pulling traditional beer wagons in displays.

"If Budweiser thinks 'the American spirit' condones the needless mutilation of horses' tails just to make them look a certain way, it is out of touch with public sentiment against cruelty to animals," Ingrid Newkirk, PETA president, said in a statement.

"It knows full well that many U.S. states, including at least one featured in its commercial, have banned severing horses' tailbones for cosmetic purposes," she added.

Newsweek reached out to Anheuser-Busch via email for comment on Tuesday.

The practice is banned in 10 states, including New York, and only allowed under the supervision of a vet in others.

Horses' tails are amputated through one of two methods: "docking," by which a tight band is placed around the tail, cutting off the blood supply, and "nicking," in which the blood supply or tendons are severed.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the practices are controversial and veterinary objections can be found mentioned in publications as far back as 1885. The American Association of Equine Practitioners is opposed to tail amputations unless medically necessary.

While the procedure is usually undertaken for cosmetic reasons or to prevent the tail from interfering with a harness—which could cause the driver to lose control of the animal—there are medical concerns about the pain it causes and can have "serious or fatal complications" due to infection, the AVMA says.

It notes that many believe the practice should not be performed for cosmetic reasons, but adds that "there is a lack of reliable data indicating when (or whether) tail docking is beneficial to the horse" when it is not injured or has a defect.

PETA previously called for a boycott of Budweiser over the allegations of tail amputation, and its website states that as of 7:30 a.m. ET on Tuesday, nearly 53,800 people have signed a petition to "take action" on the issue.