Anheuser-Busch and Conservative Dad’s Ultra Right Beer Embroiled in Trademark Dispute Following Bud Light Controversy
A brewing legal battle has erupted between beer industry titan Anheuser-Busch and the upstart Conservative Dad’s Ultra Right Beer, escalating tensions that began with the Bud Light controversy involving transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Anheuser-Busch, the brewing behemoth behind household names like Budweiser and Michelob Ultra, has filed a trademark opposition against Conservative Dad’s Ultra Right Beer with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). This move comes roughly two years after Ultra Right Beer’s launch video, featuring founder Seth Weathers smashing a Bud Light can with a baseball bat, went viral in response to Bud Light’s partnership with Mulvaney.
Conservative Dad’s Ultra Right Beer, which gained notoriety for its outspoken criticism of Bud Light’s marketing choices, has characterized Anheuser-Busch’s legal challenge as an act of "corporate revenge." The conservative beer company alleges that Anheuser-Busch is attempting to stifle competition and retaliate for the negative attention Ultra Right Beer brought to the Bud Light brand.
Anheuser-Busch’s trademark opposition asserts that Ultra Right Beer’s trademark request infringes on the existing trademark of Michelob Ultra. The beer giant argues that the use of "ULTRA RIGHT" could create confusion among consumers, leading them to believe that Ultra Right Beer is somehow affiliated with or endorsed by Anheuser-Busch. The company claims that it has invested heavily in marketing and selling products under the "ULTRA" trademark, and that allowing Ultra Right Beer to use a similar name would damage its brand reputation.
In its official opposition filing, Anheuser-Busch stated that it "believes that it will be damaged by the registration of the mark ULTRA RIGHT" and emphasized that it has "marketed and sold billions of products in the United States under the arbitrary and inherently distinctive mark ULTRA and variants." The company argues that the similarity between the names could lead consumers to mistakenly believe that Ultra Right Beer is a product originating from Anheuser-Busch or is in some way connected to the company.
Seth Weathers, the founder of Conservative Dad’s Ultra Right Beer, has vehemently denied that his company’s trademark infringes on Anheuser-Busch’s rights. He contends that the legal challenge is a thinly veiled attempt to silence a smaller competitor and suppress conservative voices. Weathers accused Anheuser-Busch of wielding its vast financial resources to "financially bleed us dry."
"This isn’t about trademarks — it’s about retaliation," Weathers declared. "Anheuser-Busch is furious we helped expose their woke disaster with Bud Light, so now they’re using their billion-dollar legal machine in an attempt to financially bleed us dry. But unlike them, we’re not just a corporation looking to maximize profit — we’re a movement of Americans who have had enough."
Conservative Dad’s Ultra Right Beer has launched a GiveSendGo campaign to raise funds to fight the trademark opposition. The company is also running a Buy 1, Get 1 Free promotion on its Conservative Dad’s Border Wall Tequila, with proceeds from the sale going towards the legal battle.
The Bud Light controversy that sparked this conflict began in April 2023 when the brand partnered with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. The partnership ignited a firestorm of criticism, primarily from conservative circles, leading to calls for a boycott of Bud Light. The boycott appeared to have a significant impact on Bud Light’s sales, with the brand experiencing a decline in market share.
In response to the trademark dispute, Anheuser-Busch issued a statement affirming its commitment to protecting its brand assets. An Anheuser-Busch spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "For more than 165 years, Anheuser-Busch has been brewing the world’s most beloved and well-known beers, and we will continue to protect and enforce the trademark rights of our iconic brands as we always have."
Companies are legally permitted to continue selling products while trademark applications and disputes are pending, meaning Ultra Right Beer can continue to operate despite the opposition.
The legal battle between Anheuser-Busch and Conservative Dad’s Ultra Right Beer is likely to be a protracted and expensive affair. Trademark law is complex, and the outcome will depend on a variety of factors, including the similarity of the trademarks, the likelihood of consumer confusion, and the strength of each party’s legal arguments. The USPTO will carefully consider the evidence presented by both sides before making a determination.
Regardless of the legal outcome, the dispute has already generated significant publicity for both companies. Conservative Dad’s Ultra Right Beer has used the controversy to further amplify its brand message and rally support from its conservative base. Anheuser-Busch, on the other hand, faces the challenge of defending its trademark rights while also managing the ongoing fallout from the Bud Light controversy. The dispute highlights the growing intersection of politics and consumer culture, as brands increasingly navigate the complexities of social and cultural issues. The outcome of this legal battle could have broader implications for the beer industry and the way companies approach trademark protection and brand messaging in a politically charged environment.
