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Heineken pulls offensive "lighter is better" ad
Heineken pulls offensive "lighter is better" ad-February 2024
Feb 12, 2026 7:01 AM

  Heineken was ostensibly trying to promote its 99-calorie light beer, but the company recently pulled a commercial with the tagline “sometimes lighter is better” after it was roundly condemned as racist.

  The commercial opens on a rooftop, with a bartender sliding a bottle of Heineken past several black people before it reaches a lighter-skinned woman. Then, the tagline flashes: “Sometimes, lighter is better.” Yeah, wow.

  Heineken (YouTube)

  The ad came to international attention after Chance The Rapper tweeted about it: “I gotta just say tho. The ‘sometimes lighter is better’ Hienekin [sic] commercial is terribly racist omg.”

  CNN Money reports Heineken has since pulled the ad, and Heineken USA spokesman Bjorn Trowery said: “While we feel the ad is referencing our Heineken Light beer, and that light beer is better than other high-calorie options—we missed the mark, are taking the feedback to heart and will use this to influence future campaigns.”

  Chance sums it up: “I think some companies are purposely putting out noticably [sic] racist ads so they can get more views. And that shit racist/bogus so I guess I shouldn’t help by posting about it. ... Like I didnt wanna tweet about it so bad ???????? but its like how can u not?”

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