Rumours that Hollywood A-lister Sylvester Stallone rejected an offer to promote maligned beer brand Bud Light for a cool $US100 million ($A152 million) has unfortunately proven a social media hoax.
Bud Light, of course, laid claim to not only the marketing disaster of 2023 but arguably the decade after a stunt with trans activist Dylan Mulvaney saw a customer-led boycott that saw sales plummet 30 per cent and revenues tank to the tune of almost half-a-billion US dollars.
The Stallone/$100 million rumour was started by US satirical site SPACEXMANIA who jokingly reported the “endorsement offer from Bud Light to Sylvester Stallone is not only a testament to Stallone’s star power but also a reflection of the brewing company’s desire to secure a prominent figure for their marketing campaigns”.
It added: “Sylvester Stallone’s decision to decline Bud Light’s offer was accompanied by a powerful statement: ‘I’m not saving your woke brand’.”
Despite none of this actually being true, the rumours soon started filtering out on social media that the Rocky star had, indeed, turned down Bud’s not insignificant offer.
Stallone fans quickly started voicing their praise for his decision. “A real man who can’t be bought,” one said. “Smart man,” said another. While another said: “Love him even more !!”
Alas, SPACEXMANIA editors quickly admitted they’d fabricated the whole thing.
A statement on its website read: “Please note that the articles under the category ‘SATIRE’ are satirical in nature and are not meant to be taken seriously. These articles are meant to be humorous and are often entirely made up.”