Bud Light is still making an effort to come out from the financial and reputational tangled web created by its collaboration with Dylan Mulvaney.
The Washington Times reported on Wednesday that Anheuser-Busch, the manufacturer of Bud Light, implied in a letter to its wholesalers that the debacle caused by the company’s association with the transgender personality was an outside job.
Backlash And Explanation
Since April 1, Bud Light sales have plummeted 26%, due to conservative backlash.
No one is buying Bud Light at the Red Sox game pic.twitter.com/evTMApnYGx
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) May 4, 2023
This includes Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene.
In an interview, DeSantis asked the interviewer, “Why do you want to drink Bud Light? Honestly, that’s like these individuals rubbing our faces in it. It’s like these businesses and if they never have any reaction, they’re simply going to keep doing it.”
The Times reports that Anheuser-Busch informed its channel partners that this can be attributed to a specific social media influencer. It was not intended for mass production or distribution. It was not a formal ad or campaign.
I'm not sure if most people fully appreciate the significance of this Bud Light stuff. We made an iconic American brand toxic, virtually overnight, because it endorsed gender ideology. This is a pivotal moment. A map to follow going forward.
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) May 5, 2023
This letter continued by stating that Anheuser-Busch had no intention of provoking controversy or making a political statement.
Actions Taken
The Times reported the controversy erupted after Mulvaney, a biological male who identifies as a woman, uploaded a video online while dressed as Audrey Hepburn’s character from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” drinking Bud Light while displaying a can bearing his image.
The company letter added the Bud Light campaign that was shared by an online celebrity (which sparked all the discussion) was actually provided by an outside agency. This happened without the knowledge or approval of Anheuser-Busch management.
Since then, the absence of control and oversight over marketing choices has been dealt with and a new vice president of marketing for Bud Light has been named. This referred to the dismissal of two top executives who supervised the marketing strategy for Bud Light.
This article appeared in The Political Globe and has been published here with permission.
