Introducing the Anti-Bud Light: Gay Water
Amid the ever-brewing culture war over who drinks what beverage and whether it is considered gay if you do or don't, one cocktail creator is cutting through the noise with a bold brand message.
As reported by CNN Business, Spencer Hoddeson has just launched Gay Water, a canned vodka and soda beverage akin to White Claw, Truly, Unholy and all the other fizzy alcoholic drinks on store shelves.
What makes this cocktail different from the others? It is unapologetically gay.
"The key issue that Bud Light tapped into was the fact that they didn't understand their core audience and know enough about them," Hoddeson told CNN about Anheuser-Busch's Dylan Mulvaney scandal. "They just went silent and I think in 2023, you have to be communicating because people communicate themselves if they're not hearing from you."
Hoddeson, who identifies as gay, said he saw an opening in the market to be the antithesis of Bud Light.
"We're creating a brand that creates representation, particularly in spaces where representation is lacking like liquor stores, bars, restaurants and grocery stores," he said. "Putting a product with the word gay in the title is representation itself."
And unlike Bud Light, Gay Water won't buckle under bigotry.
"I wanted to build something that is queer and part of the community, but isn't necessarily rainbows and unicorns that you see all around pride," he said. "Gay is an umbrella term and the idea behind the brand is to be as inclusive as possible, which means we want allies, we want straight people to be part of this community we're building."
Suddenly, we are very thirsty. Would you give Gay Water a try?