On March 28, 2019, MillerCoors submitted a brief in support of its motion for a preliminary injunction against Anheuser-Busch, requesting Anheuser-Busch be stopped from airing Bud Light commercials that focus on the inclusion of corn syrup in Miller Lite and Coors Light.
Per the request, MillerCoors implores that these ads have caused irreparable harm to the company’s image – an image that has taken “generations” to build. Per the lawsuit, while although MillerCoors admits the use of corn syrup in its products, an important caveat is that the syrup burns up in the brewing process. However, the suit claims that these Bud Light ads falsely imply the addition of corn syrup into the final product. Further, per the allegations, the ads relay the idea that the beers actually contain high-fructose corn syrup – a far more controversial product.
In response, spokeswoman Gemma Hart on behalf of Anheuser-Busch stated that “MillerCoors’ lawsuit is baseless and will not deter Bud Light from providing consumers with the transparency they demand. We stand behind the Bud Light transparency campaign and have no plans to change the advertising.”
Were the preliminary injunction granted, it would require Anheuser-Busch to retract the ads while the case proceeds to a final resolution.