BUDWEISER FACES BACKLASH AFTER PARTNERING WITH TRANSGENDER INFLUENCER
Budweiser, America’s beloved beer, is facing a major backlash after partnering with transgender “influencer” Dylan Mulvaney. Bud Light Vice President of Marketing Alissa Heinerscheid, who has previously stated that the brand’s past marketing efforts were “out of touch” and “fratty,” hoped to attract young drinkers to the brand. However, the partnership with Mulvaney seems to have backfired, with consumers across the US reportedly revolting against Bud Light.
Budweiser, once considered America’s beer, has been in a decline for a long time. Bud Light Vice President of Marketing, Alissa Heinerscheid, recognized the brand’s need to attract young drinkers to stay relevant. The brand’s past marketing efforts were labeled as “out of touch” and “fratty.” To appeal to the younger generation, Bud Light partnered with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, which resulted in a backlash from consumers.
The move to cash in on the “look-at-me-I’m-tolerant!” campaign didn’t sit well with many, and bar owners and beer-industry experts across the country reported a decline in sales. Bud Light’s attempt to be inclusive excluded almost everyone else, including their traditional audience. Women have always had a nice glass of pinot grigio, and men have always preferred a Bud, the nation’s top-selling beer brand.
However, men bailed on Bud Light, and sales dropped significantly. Anheuser-Busch bottled products saw a 30% decrease in sales, and draft beer sales plunged by 50%. AB distributors even placed fewer orders of Bud Light after the gender propaganda launch. The move spooked some distributors, particularly in the Heartland and the South, and resulted in a volume hit in some markets over the holiday weekend.
The beer industry trade publication, Beer Business Daily, believes it may be a lasting hit. It remains to be seen if the publicity will spark incremental off-setting demand from over the ideological divide in metro areas. In any case, Bud Light’s attempt at inclusivity backfired, causing a significant decline in sales.
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