What is so hard about respecting your customers?

What is it about respecting one's customers that some companies are finding to be so difficult? Bud Light's first ad since March shows its customers making some funny mistakes during their summer gatherings.

In another time that would have been fine, but it's not the right message right now. To quote from the article I've linked to.

"You see, when you’re trying to get back in your customers’ good graces, a charming way to do that is to make gentle fun of yourselves. Instead, Bud Light chose to make gentle fun of their customers."

This sounds like advice Marcel Marcondes, InBev's CMO would agree with. He was quoted recently while ironically accepting an award for being the "Most Creative Marketer of the Year." Marcondes said, “When things get divisive and controversial so easily, I think it’s an important wake-up call to all of us marketers to be very humble,”

I wholeheartedly agree, and for the Company's sake, I hope Bud Light management is able to soon incorporate that philosophy in its marketing. Sales were down 26.8% for the most recently-reported week (June 10). The brand needs all the help it can get.