Bob Osmond

In a comeback to the backlash about Bud Light’s content integration with Dylan Mulvaney, Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth shared a vaguely apologetic and coded letter. In short, the brand made a play for younger consumers and, in response to customer reactions, then rapidly retreated.

Survey results from USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism indicate that the era of the bystander brand is over. The report highlights the need for communicators to embrace purpose and lead with values.