People are slamming Budweiser's ad that mocks craft beer

The rising popularity of craft beer is hurting Budweiser's business, and the company took a stab at its competition in a Super Bowl ad.

The ad shows a man selecting craft beer over Budweiser, disappointing a Clydesdale horse.

The man is eventually bullied into buying some Budweiser.

Budweiser's jab at craft brews attracted criticism on social media.

Budweiser is quickly losing its status as the most iconic beer brand in America.

A recent company study found that 44% of drinkers aged 21 to 27 have never tried the brand, reports Tripp Mickle at The Wall Street Journal.

Budweiser is the third-most-popular beer brand in America, behind Bud Light and Coors Light. It has recently also been challenged by craft beer, which is hugely popular with the millennial set.

At the brand's peak in 1988, it was selling 50 million barrels of beer a year. That number has declined to 16 million barrels.