Bud Light Ditches Bottle Slogan Critics Say Promoted Rape

The brewery has apologized after the slogan drew ire on social media. "It’s clear that this particular message missed the mark, and we regret it,” an executive said.

Bud Light is ditching and apologizing for bottle labels that read "the perfect beer for removing 'no' from your vocabulary for the night," after a social media firestorm from critics who said the slogan condoned rape.

Critics, including New York congresswoman Nita Lowey, had blasted the brewer on social media, arguing that the message perpetuates rape culture and implicitly condones sexual assault and irresponsible drinking.

"It’s clear that this particular message missed the mark, and we regret it,” Bud Light's vice president Alexander Lambrecht said in a statement. “We would never condone disrespectful or irresponsible behavior. As a result, we have immediately ceased production of this message on all bottles."

Lambrecht said the labels, part of the company's "Up for Whatever" campaign, had been intended to be fun and positive and to "encourage brand engagement."

This isn't the second time the brewer has been accused of promoting sexual harassment.

On St. Patrick's Day this year, the company tweeted, "You can pinch people who don’t wear green. You can also pinch people who aren’t #UpForWhatever." The company later apologized.

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