The defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs got off to a rough start this season, but they have since won five straight games, giving their fans reason to be confident about another Lombardi trophy this year. No Chiefs player perhaps received as much attention as Travis Kelce did this season, and it was more due to his off-field shenanigans with pop superstar Taylor Swift than to anything he did on the field.
The tight end, who enjoys his name in the headlines, recently garnered further attention, not for his on-field performance and ongoing dating rumors with Taylor Swift, rather for a controversial promotion.
Chiefs star Travis Kelce faces criticism for Bud Light sip
Being always side by side with his brother Jason Kelce, playing for the Philadelphia Eagles, Travis Kelce went to New Jersey on Sunday to enjoy his brother’s play. Later, the duo brothers attended the Philadelphia Phillies’ NLCS game last night, per The SPUN. Everything was in place until the Kelce brothers were caught indulging in some adult beverages.
The eight-time pro bowler soon got attention as he was spotted drinking a Bud Light, the drink for which he was criticized several times before as the beer brand faced ongoing calls for a boycott.
The 34-year-old was featured in a Bud Light sweepstakes promotion earlier, and the company released a video of the tight end grasping up the chain while wearing a custom beer can pendant and a diamond chain. In the “Backyard Grunts with Travis Kelce” commercial, guys sat in lawn chairs at what looked to be a summer cookout, as Travis and the other men were enjoying themselves.
Although it would have been a major blow to his reputation, Kelce took the risk and received endorsement from the editorial board of the Kansas City Star.
“Tying his reputation to a brand that has been the target of a widespread boycott takes courage, a character trait Kelce often exhibits on the field. In Kansas City, we learned some time ago Kelce was fearless: Over the course of his 10-year, record-setting career in the NFL, we’ve seen him run over hapless defenders with regularity. Kelce is never one to shy away from contact,” they wrote.
Travis Kelce, who demonstrated fearlessness on the field, remained on it, demonstrating his level of commitment to the brand he supported.
Conservatives targeted Bud Light after influencer’s promotion
Back in April, transgender TikTok star and UC College-Conservatory of Music alumna Dylan Mulvaney announced her involvement with Bud Light on Instagram, and conservatives demanded a boycott. After that, the company faced a huge setback in its reputation and also took a financial hit. As of October, Anheuser-Busch InBev said that the company’s revenue fell 10.5%, or $395 million.
Mulvaney experienced a great deal of derision from the public and was even afraid to leave her home. She later claimed that the company had ghosted her because of the promotion, which exposed her to a barrage of transphobic abuse. She added that she had been anticipating Bud Light to get in touch as well, but it never did.
Nevertheless, amid all of these controversies, Travis Kelce dared to be part of the company and made tons of money. Despite collecting backlashes that time, he again came out with supporting the brand.
What’s your opinion on the Chiefs’ star’s controversial promotion?
