be like mike
the 2023 bud light advertising fiasco will undoubtedly be studied in marketing classes for decades. bud light chose a controversial and highly successful tik tok star to promote their product. the star, dylan mulvaney, presents as a trans individual. some critics are skeptical. they perceive dylan as a gay man, a talented actor, who is marketing himself as trans. dylan also receives criticism that his portrayal of a woman insults women. dylan’s persona is that of a female “bimbo.” nonetheless, dylan has been successful in garnering many prized endorsement deals, including one with nike.
beyond dylan, nike also has had a famous partnership with nba great michael jordan. mr. jordan had the unique combination of being incredibly athletic and being a dominant champion. he captured the imagination of a generation. he was marketer’s dream. consumers, through the gatorade brand, were told to “be like mike.” who wouldn’t like to have the athletics to defy gravity and come out on top of the world?
bud light’s promotion of dylan has had a “be like mike” effect. humorous homemade videos have emerged mocking the beer company’s choice of celebrity. interestingly, they are divided upon two lines. some perceive dylan as being a gay man and others view him as trans. thus, the humor presented by bud light customers is that drinking the beer will either alter your sexual orientation or that it will make you trans. the punch line: idols are subject to rejection.
in contrast, one must wonder whether there has been a “be like mike” effect with dylan’s millions of followers. is their consumerism aligned with what dylan is pushing? [on a side note, is marketing alcohol, a depressant, something that is recommended for a community concerned with a high suicide rate?]
the value of this exercise is to ponder on how ten commandments’ values should be marketed. moses is a proven figure. the two tablets are iconic. and finally, there is the un-idol, the eternal master of the universe. as we recover from covid-19 lockdowns, a period of religious suppression, is it possible to promote more interest in the ten commandments? wouldn’t it be wonderful if individuals produced videos cracking open a bible and declaring that they are on a commitment to make themselves a better person?
be well!!
The Ten Commandments Project 