Amid the ongoing controversy involving Bud Light beer, ’90s drink Zima is being discussed a lot. If this is the first time you’ve heard about the alcoholic drink, let us tell you all about it.
Anheuser-Busch’s campaign for Bud Light in collaboration with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney is being met with severe backlash. Only because the beer brand openly supported the LGBTQ community, critics have started to give it labels, purely driven by stereotypes.
People protesting Bud Light and its latest campaign are also involving the discontinued drink Zima in the debate surrounding gender propaganda.
For the unversed, Zima was made by MillerCoors, which has been a long-time supporter of the LGBTQ community.
What is Zima and why is it trending amid Bud Light controversy?
Zima was a clear malt beverage brewed by MillerCoors in the ’90s and advertised as “something different”. It was first launched in 1994.
The citrus beverage was reportedly marketed as an alternative to wine coolers that rose to popularity in the 20th century.
As Metro US notes, Zima was comparatively popular with women, and Zima Gold was specifically created for the male market with a “taste of bourbon” in 1995. However, the latter didn’t last in stores for more than a year.
Simply because Zima was touted as a “female drink”, critics in 2023 are urging LGBTQ supporters to replace Bud Light with the discontinued drink, owing to the feminine quotient attached to it.
Urban Dictionary notes, Zima falls under the umbrella of “queerbeers” – described as an “alcoholic beverage that is meant to be consumed without tasting the alcohol.”
Apparently, heterosexual men would be ridiculed if they were found to be drinking Zima in public, such was the reputation of the ’90s drink, which was typically meant for ladies.
Why was the drink discontinued?
Zima was discontinued in 2008, more than a decade after it was introduced, due to a decline in its sales.
When Zima Gold failed to capture the market, the original drink is said to have been released in a number of other flavors, including citrus, blackberry, and green apple.
However, the company still pulled the plug on it when the beverage stopped bringing in profits. The beverage and its different flavors still remain popular in Japan as a nightclub drink.
MillerCoors brought back its ’90s drink for a brief time in the summer of 2017 and made it available for a limited period.
MillerCoors is a supporter of LGBTQ+ community
When the controversy surrounding Bud Light and Dylan Mulvaney broke and calls to boycott the beer gained momentum, protestors said they would switch to Coors Light, without being aware of the fact that its parent company has been a long-time supporter of the LGBTQ+ community.
Talking about the brand’s support for the marginalized population, a spokesperson for Miller Coors, Michael Nordman, said: “We are incredibly proud to continue supporting the Center’s vital programs and services that positively impact the LGBTQ community.”
The company has also organized a number of pride events and marches over the years and is also recognized as one of the first companies to offer same-sex domestic partner benefits. bagging the honor of being the Corporation of the Year by the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce in 2015.
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