QUESTION:
Is Budweiser pulling their ads with the NFL due to the National Anthem protests?
ANSWER:
No this is false.
SOURCES:
Matt Kohan Anheuser-Busch, Senior Director, Marketing Communications
PROCESS:
So we told you a few weeks ago about athletes that were losing endorsement deals for taking a knee during the national anthem, but what about those sponsors cutting their advertisement deals with the NFL?
People have been sharing their suspicions that the classic American beer, Budweiser is parting ways with the league. While some are convinced they've already ended advertisements as this post circulating on social media for weeks claims the nail is in the coffin.
This statement from Budweiser has been shared online that seems to back up that a break up with the NFL would be coming, states “We are disappointed and increasingly concerned by the recent incidents that have overshadowed this NFL season. We are not yet satisfied with the league’s handling of behaviors that so clearly go against our own company culture and moral code. We have shared our concerns and expectations with the league.”
So what's the deal here-- is Budweiser plugging the plug on advertisements with the NFL?
We reached to Anheuser-Busch InBev, the company that owners Budweiser, and they sent WUSA9 the following statement:
At Anheuser-Busch we have a long heritage of supporting the institutions and values that have made America so strong. That includes our armed forces and the national anthem as well as diversity, equality and freedom of speech. We proudly employ over 1,100 military veterans and we work every day to create an inclusive environment for all of our employees. Because only together can we achieve our dream of bringing people together for a better world. The Anheuser-Busch phone line has always been available for consumer inquiries on a variety of topics, but we are not conducting a survey regarding our NFL sponsorship. We have many long-term sports partnerships, including our NFL sponsorship, and while we may not agree on everything, we still believe in the power of sport to bring people together and overcome their differences. We have no plans to end our NFL sponsorship.
As for that other statement that was floating around social media, we traced it back to 2014 when it was first issued when the company was upset about how the NFL was handling domestic violence cases.
The Anheuser-Busch hotline number to give your feedback on the NFL national anthem protests is: 1-800-342-5283.
