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The US District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin on May 24, 2019, granted a preliminary injunction preventing Anheuser-Busch Companies, LLC from implying in its advertisements that MillerCoors LLC beers contain corn syrup. MillerCoors, LLC v. Anheuser-Busch Cos., W.D. Wis., No. 19-cv-218, 5/24/19.

During Super Bowl LIII, Anheuser-Busch launched an advertising campaign highlighting MillerCoors LLC’s use of corn syrup in brewing Miller Lite and Coors Light, as compared to Anheuser-Busch’s use of rice in its popular light beer, Bud Light.

MillerCoors said the ad campaign contained false and misleading statements because, though it uses corn syrup during the brewing process, there’s no corn syrup in its final products.

The Court granted an injunction narrower in scope than was sought, enjoining Anheuser-Busch from use of the following statements: (1) Bud Light contains “100% less corn syrup” and (2) Bud Light in direct reference to “no corn syrup” without any reference to “brewed with,” “made with” or “uses.”