John Oliver lampoons Bud Light's "rapey" ad campaign: "It's like a liquid John Mayer song"

How did the "obviously problematic" campaign make it past five layers of approval? John Oliver investigates

Published May 4, 2015 1:12PM (EDT)

      (Last Week Tonight)
(Last Week Tonight)

In a segment from Sunday's "Last Week Tonight," John Oliver unpacked Bud Light's #UpForWhatever campaign, the "obviously problematic" series of ads which featured the tagline “Remove no from your vocabulary.” As one commentator observed, it just had a "certain rapey feel to it."

"If Budweiser is the king of beers, then Bud Light is the feudal peasant covered in donkey shit of beers," Oliver said, before launching into speculation over how this PR disaster was able to make it through 5 (five!) layers of approval.

  • Layer 1: "Yeaaaa boiiii!"
  • Layer 2: "Sick idea, brah!"
  • Layer 3: "That's what I'm talkin' bout. Aiiiight?"
  • Layer 4: "Nah. Nah. Nah.  Nah. That's what I'm talkin' bout son!"
  • Layer 5: "Blehhhhghhhhhhhh!"

In the spirit of the bro-y campaign, Oliver followed that up with a mock ad for the beverage that tastes like a "scared rabbit's urine." Or, "a liquid John Mayer Song." Or, alternatively, "if a nickel could urinate."

Watch the clip below via Berto Majden


By Colin Gorenstein

Colin Gorenstein is Salon's assistant editor of internet and viral content. Follow @colingorenstein or email cgorenstein@salon.com.

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