Bud Light partners with trans activist Dylan Mulvaney for March Madness: 'This isn't a parody'

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Lindsay Kornick | Fox News


https://i.imgur.com/rHoOhvR.png

Trans TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney was announced as the latest spokesperson for Bud Light in a pair of videos that were attacked on social media.

The trans activist revealed on Saturday that the beer company sent packs Bud Light featuring the influencer’s face as a way to celebrate the "365 Days of Girlhood" milestone Mulvaney recently reached.

"Happy March Madness!! Just found out this had to do with sports and not just saying it’s a crazy month! In celebration of this sports thing @budlight is giving you the chance to win $15,000! Share a video with #EasyCarryContest for a chance to win!! Good luck! #budlightpartner," Mulvaney wrote on Instagram.

Another video featured Mulvaney in a bathtub drinking a Bud Light beer as part of the campaign.

The announcement was met with backlash with Twitter users describing the ad campaign as another attempt to push gender propaganda.

Conservative commentator John Cardillo wrote, "Who the hell at @budlight thought it was a good idea to make a grown man who dresses like little girls their new spokesperson? Brands have to stop listening to their woke creative teams and get in touch with their consumer demographics."
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"Might genuinely be the weirdest thing I've ever seen in my life," The Spectator contributing editor Stephen Miller remarked.

Townhall.com columnist Derek Hunter joked, "@budlight: the groomer of beers."
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"Message to conservative families from @budlight seems to be: We will encourage and even celebrate the erasure of men and women along with all the values you care about. They’ve gone totally woke. Will you ever spend your money with them now?" director Robby Starbuck tweeted.
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"This isn’t a parody. Dylan Mulvaney is now the face of Bud Light," journalist Ian Miles Cheong similarly wrote.

Conservative radio host Erick Erickson wrote, "Is the Bud Light thing an April Fool's joke? I mean it is trash beer, but given the constituent demo of Bud Light drinkers, it seems like a terrible marketing thing."
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https://i.imgur.com/w3ZtzPl.png

Just days prior, Mulvaney also announced a partnership with the fashion design company Kate Spade.

"Celebrating the first say of spring with @katespadeny #katespadenypartner," Mulvaney wrote.

Mulvaney gained noteriaty after interviewing President Biden on transgender issuers in October. During the interview, Biden revealed that he does not believe states should ban "gender-affirming health care."

"I don’t think any state or anybody should have the right to do that — as a moral question and as a legal question. I just think it’s wrong," Biden said.

https://i.imgur.com/W8357zx.png

Actress Drew Barrymore also interviewed Mulvaney which led to the actress kneeling and hugging Mulvaney in solidarity.

[DemonGeminiX]

It could be worse. A real beer company with real beer could have tried pushing this.

[lost in melb.]

Isn't Bud light a gay beer, anyhow?

[DemonGeminiX]

Isn't Bud light a gay beer, anyhow?

:nono:

Gay, but not Trans. Transported by trucks, not trains.

[lost in melb.]

:nono:

Gay, but not Trans. Transported by trucks, not trains.

Not woke enough :sad2:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Brian Flood , David Rutz | Fox News


https://i.imgur.com/zHIplvy.png

Anheuser-Busch set social media ablaze when beer juggernaut Bud Light celebrated transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney’s "365 Days of Girlhood" with a polarizing promotion.

The trans activist revealed Saturday that the beer company sent packs of Bud Light featuring the influencer’s face as a way to celebrate a full year of "girlhood" that Mulvaney recently reached. Mulvaney said the cans were her "most prized possession" on Instagram with a post featuring "#budlightpartner." A video then featured Mulvaney in a bathtub drinking a Bud Light beer as part of the campaign.

The announcement was met with significant backlash, with some Twitter users describing the ad campaign as the latest attempt to push gender propaganda. Many people mocked Bud Light over the partnership and even wondered if it was some sort of April Fool’s prank. Conservative singer Kid Rock used several Bud Light cases for target practice in a viral video, and there have been calls to boycott.

"I made a joke that Budweiser has confirmed something I have suspected all along, that Bud Light is a beer made for men who identify as little girls," competitive skateboarder Taylor Silverman told Fox News Digital.

https://i.imgur.com/HrZNvvgh.jpg

Silverman has been outspoken regarding the transgender community since a transgender woman edged her out for a $5,000 first-place prize in the 2021 Red Bull Cornerstone event. Silverman blasted Bud Light’s promotion as an "attempt at woke virtue signaling," and believes the beer maker dropped the ball.

"Dylan Mulvaney has consistently and continuously made a mockery of women and claims to identify as a girl," Silverman said.

"It's disappointing to see someone making a mockery of females be applauded for it. But there is good news, and that is that we vote with our dollar every single day," Silverman continued. "When companies make it clear that they don't share our value of respecting women, the best way to handle that is to no longer financially support them by purchasing their products and turn to alternatives."

https://i.imgur.com/K5yIyxj.png

But others celebrated Anheuser-Busch’s decision.

One of Bud Light’s supporters is Bryan Kramer, an award-winning influencer and brand marketing guru, who believes the transgender community is "marginalized" and Mulvaney is the ideal person to lead a national conversation.

"She fits the mold and if you’re looking at a marginalized community, the trans world is the community that’s getting hit. So, as a brand, and lots of brands are trying to approach this, I would approach it the same way, as an influencer marketing campaign, sending out something personalized and creating something that creates connection," Kramer told Fox News Digital.

"I think it’s a win for Bud Light and I think it was a win for other brands," Kramer added, noting that the beer juggernaut essentially served as a guinea pig for corporations who face backlash for similar situations.

"It can become the template, if you will, for what we do moving forward for this marginalized community and others," he said. "The real thing here is that this is about inclusion and diversity and inclusion, and diversity as a whole is not propaganda. It's an essential part of our society."

Kramer continued, "Moving forward, it's something that brands are having to take a position on."

Kramer doesn’t believe critics of the Mulvaney promotion will hurt Bud Light, and he pointed to a popular fast food restaurant as proof that companies can survive backlash.

"Chick-Fil-A took a stance as well, and I've got to say that their brand is standing up just fine," he said. "Brands can take a stance on certain things, they can have polarizing issues and yet, they still remain standing."

In fact, he believes Anheuser-Busch struck gold with the trans activist with Mulvaney, who gained notoriety after interviewing President Joe Biden on transgender issues in October.

"Brands are looking for influencers that break the mold. They're not looking for influencers that are vanilla or status quo. And so, when you find an influencer that's gaining momentum, every brand is working on that. They're looking for rising star influencers, the ones that are on their way up. You don't want an influencer that's already at the top. You want an influencer that is creating some kind of ripple effect right now on the way up just before they reach that status," Kramer said. "And if a brand can find that influencer, that's where they're going to do their best work. And so that's what I think they're doing with Dillon."

Anheuser-Busch defended the polarizing decision.

"Anheuser-Busch works with hundreds of influencers across our brands as one of many ways to authentically connect with audiences across various demographics and passion points. From time to time, we produce unique commemorative cans for fans and for brand influencers, like Dylan Mulvaney. This commemorative can was a gift to celebrate a personal milestone and is not for sale to the general public," an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson told Fox News.

[Godfather]

Conservative singer Kid Rock used several Bud Light cases for target practice in a viral video, and there have been calls to boycott.


I'm sorry but this is hilarious and bizarre, people take this shit so seriously :lol:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Alexander Hall | Fox News


https://i.imgur.com/BXFxBI6.png

Bud Light's vice president of marketing discussed in a recent interview how she was inspired to update the "fratty" and "out of touch" humor of the beer company with inclusivity.

Alissa Heinerscheid did an interview with the podcast "Make Yourself At Home" on March 30, where she discussed her work in transforming the Bud Light brand.

"I’m a businesswoman, I had a really clear job to do when I took over Bud Light, and it was ‘This brand is in decline, it’s been in a decline for a really long time, and if we do not attract young drinkers to come and drink this brand there will be no future for Bud Light,'" Heinerscheid said.

Heinerscheid's comments have gone viral days later, after Bud Light and its parent company Anheuser-Busch received backlash for partnering with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney. The beer maker ignited a firestorm earlier this month when it celebrated Mulvaney's "365 Days of Girlhood," by sending Mulvaney custom-made cans featuring the influencer's face. Mulvaney said the cans were her "most prized possession" on Instagram with a post featuring "#budlightpartner." A video then featured Mulvaney in a bathtub drinking a Bud Light beer as part of the campaign.

After the host asked Heinerscheid about how her background, perspective, and values impacted the Bud Light brand, the Bud Light vice president said, "I’m a businesswoman, I had a really clear job to do when I took over Bud Light, and it was ‘This brand is in decline, it’s been in a decline for a really long time, and if we do not attract young drinkers to come and drink this brand there will be no future for Bud Light.’"

She added further that she had a "super clear" mandate that "to evolve and elevate this incredibly iconic brand." She said that what she "brought" to the brand was a "belief" that to evolve and elevate means to incorporate "inclusivity, it means shifting the tone, it means having a campaign that’s truly inclusive, and feels lighter and brighter and different, and appeals to women and to men."

Heinerscheid suggested that "representation is sort of at the heart of evolution, you have got to see people who reflect you in the work."

She then disparaged the work of Bud Light’s past branding.

"We had this hangover, I mean Bud Light had been kind of a brand of fratty, kind of out of touch humor, and it was really important that we had another approach," she said.

https://i.imgur.com/RlioedH.png

Mulvaney's posts caused backlash for Anheuser Busch, but the beer company defended the partnership.

"Anheuser-Busch works with hundreds of influencers across our brands as one of many ways to authentically connect with audiences across various demographics. From time to time we produce unique commemorative cans for fans and for brand influencers, like Dylan Mulvaney. This commemorative can was a gift to celebrate a personal milestone and is not for sale to the general public," an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson told Fox News.

In a previous interview with Forbes, Heinerscheid claimed that "female representation is a personal passion point of mine."

Since the controversy broke out, Bud Light's related social media accounts have been silent. Bud Light has not posted on Instagram to its 377,000 followers since March 30 and the brand’s 311,000 Twitter followers have not seen any posts since April 1. Additionally, the beer brand has not posted to its over 7.5 million Facebook followers since March 30.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Ariel Zilber - New York Post


https://i.imgur.com/E6Ov9Ib.png

Beer Colossus Anheuser-Busch saw its value plummet more than $5 billion since the company announced its branding partnership with controversial transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

Since March 31, shares of Bud Light’s parent company have fallen by nearly 4% — knocking down the company’s market capitalization from $132.38 billion to $127.13 billion on Wednesday.

Anheuser-Busch stock fizzled more than 1.5% on Wednesday.

The company is dealing with the fallout from conservatives over its deal with Mulvaney, the 26-year-old transgender influencer with more than 10 million followers on social media.

Mulvaney fired back at critics Tuesday, accusing them of bullying her because she’s an “easy target.”

As a guest on the “Onward with Rosie O’Donnell” podcast, Mulvaney said her trolls intentionally twist her words and actions in an effort to blast the transgender community.

“The reason that I think I am so … I’m an easy target is because I’m so new to this,” Mulvaney said. “I think going after a trans woman that’s been doing this for like 20 years is a lot more difficult. I think maybe they think that there’s some sort of chance with me … But what is their goal?”

“These people, they don’t understand me, and anything that I do or say then somehow gets taken out of context and is used against me and it’s so sad because everything I try to put out is positive. It’s trying to connect with others that maybe don’t understand me. It’s to make people laugh or to make a kid feel seen.”

Mulvaney had posted videos and photos on social media promoting her sponsorship deal with Bud Light, which produced specially made cans with Mulvaney’s likeness to commemorate the partnership.

The Mulvaney endorsement deal prompted Kid Rock to shoot up several cans of Bud Light with an assault rifle.

https://i.imgur.com/rIH2jAf.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/h9vK42Y.jpg
Bud Light produced specially designed cans with Mulvaney’s likeness to commemorate the partnership.

The backlash even prompted a local Missouri distributor to cancel an appearance by the famous Budweiser Clydesdale horses due to fears for the safety of staffers.

Industry experts told The Post on Tuesday that the controversy appears to have to stay in power and could lead to a full-blown boycott of Anheuser-Bush products.

Mulvaney reportedly is pulling down more than $1 million in sponsorship deals with several big-name brands including Nike and Kate Spade.

https://i.imgur.com/YRTRKXe.png

Megyn Kelly lashed out at the “non-breasted” Mulvaney’s deal with Nike.

“Nike sponsoring Dylan Mulvaney now for a f–king sports bra,” Kelly said during Tuesday’s edition of “The Megyn Kelly Show” on SiriusXM.

“I’m sorry, Dylan doesn’t have breasts.”

https://i.imgur.com/HuJvdRP.jpg
Mulvaney’s sponsorship deal prompted Kid Rock to shoot cans of Bud Light.

“Dylan’s been taking some sort of a hormone that has turned Dylan into some … I don’t know what’s happening there, but those are not breasts.”

“And Dylan doesn’t need any sort of a bra — never mind a sports bra,” according to Kelly.

Both Bud Light and Nike have pushed back against the criticism and stood by Mulvaney.

[lost in melb.]

Oh boy....

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Ryan Saavedra - The Daily Wire


https://i.imgur.com/mp3k1PHl.jpg

After nearly two weeks of backlash, including threats of a boycott movement and significant losses in market value to his company, Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth issued a statement related to Bud Light’s controversial decision to partner with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, but did not make mention of Mulvaney, transgenderism — or offer an apology to offended customers.

The controversy erupted at the start of the month when Mulvaney, a man who claims to be a woman, announced on Instagram: “Bud Light sent me possibly the best gift ever: a can with my face on it.” The video also included the hashtag #budlightpartner. In the days and weeks that followed, critics blasted Bud Light for its tone-deaf marketing and beer drinkers passed over it for other brands.

“We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people,” Whitworth said in a statement Friday. “We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer.”

Whitworth said that he is responsible “for ensuring every consumer feels proud of the beer we brew” and that the company proudly supports “our communities, military, first responders, sports fans, and hard-working Americans everywhere.” Whitworth added that he spends a lot of time “listening to and learning from our customers, distributors, and others.”

The statement failed to directly address the controversy that sent the company into a 13-day public relations crisis in the first place — their decision to collaborate with a man who has achieved internet fame by pretending to be a woman for the last year.

The CEO’s statement came nearly two weeks after Mulvaney appeared in an April 1 video showing off Bud Light cans with his face on them. Initially, there was confusion as to whether the April Fool’s Day announcement from Mulvaney was even real because Bud Light’s official social media pages and press page made no mention of a partnership with him.

But Bud Light confirmed and defended its partnership with Mulvaney on April 3, saying that custom beer cans were a “gift” for Mulvaney’s personal milestone, a reference to the 365 days Mulvaney has gone posting videos in make-up and women’s clothing.

While sources familiar with the matter later claimed to The Daily Wire that “no one at the senior level” of the company was aware of Bud Light’s polarizing partnership with Mulvaney, the company’s vice president of marketing recently touted her mandate to make the brand more “inclusive.”

Last week, the company issued a statement confirming the partnership and describing it as an attempt to “authentically connect with audiences across various demographics and passion points.”

The marketing stunt appears to have cost the company $5 billion in market value this week, and the backlash to the iconic American beer brand has been so intense that a Budweiser distributor in Missouri canceled an event with the company’s famous Clydesdale horses because everything was “still sensitive” over the matter.

Major conservative figures, including Kid Rock, Matt Walsh, Travis Tritt, John Rich, and Tucker Carlson, have been relentless in their criticism of Bud Light, and it’s not clear if the CEO’s recent statement will do anything to address their concerns.

[lost in melb.]

Joe Rogan swigs Bud Light while laughing-off backlash over Dylan Mulvaney partnership and says: 'Why, if something is good do you give a f*** who's got it?'

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/13/12/69783789-0-image-a-3_1681386445245.jpg

The popular podcast host said he thought it was 'funny' how outraged people were over the beer company's partnership with the transgender influencer
He also admitted to being entertained by some of the backlash, including the Kid Rock video in which he shoots several cans of Bud Light
Bud Light has lost more than $5billion in market value since the eruption or controversy over its partnership with Dylan Mulvaney
Joe Rogan swigged a Bud Light during his latest show - while suggesting the controversy over trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney was overblown.

Speaking on The Joe Rogan Experience Wednesday, Rogan said: 'Why, if something is good, do you give a f**k who's got it?'
.....



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11968697/amp/Joe-Rogan-swigs-Bud-Light-says-doesnt-know-people-f-k-Dylan-Mulvaney-row.html

[lost in melb.]

I suspect Rogan's sexuality is secure - unlike Bud light drinkers


:ghey2:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Isabel Keane - New York Post


https://i.imgur.com/ugCogQn.png

A second Bud Light senior marketing executive has been placed on leave following backlash and calls for a boycott over the brand’s recent partnership with popular transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, according to a report.

Daniel Blake, who oversees marketing for Anheuser-Busch’s mainstream brands, stepped back from his role Sunday, according to the Wall Street Journal.

It was reported Friday that another executive — the brewer’s vice president of marketing who was behind the campaign, Alissa Heinerscheid — was taking a leave of absence.

“Given the circumstances, Alissa has decided to take a leave of absence, which we support,” an Anheuser-Busch spokeswoman told the Journal. “Daniel has also decided to take a leave of absence.”

People familiar with the matter told the Journal that the decision to take leave was not voluntary.

The intense backlash began after Bud Light partnered with Mulvaney, a popular transgender influencer with over 10 million TikTok followers who rose to fame chronicling her gender transition on social media.

https://i.imgur.com/ZNyRR99.png

After she finished her “365 Days of Girlhood” video series, the beer brand sent Mulvaney custom-made cans featuring her face to help promote its March Madness contest.

In a video shared on Instagram, the content creator is dressed like Audrey Hepburn’s character in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” as she cracks open a Bud Light can and takes a sip.

“This month I celebrated my 365 days of womanhood and Bud Light sent me possibly the best gift ever — a can with my face on it,” Mulvaney said in the video noting her milestone. A second video for the campaign featured the influencer drinking a can of Bud Light in her bathtub.

https://i.imgur.com/oonBO3W.png

A day before Mulvaney shared news of the partnership, Heinerscheid was interviewed on the podcast “Make Yourself At Home,” where she discussed her work in transforming the Bud Light brand from one marked by “fratty” and “out of touch” humor to one that embraces inclusivity.

“I’m a businesswoman, I had a really clear job to do when I took over Bud Light, and it was ‘This brand is in decline, it’s been in a decline for a really long time, and if we do not attract young drinkers to come and drink this brand, there will be no future for Bud Light,‘” Heinerscheid said.

Despite the growing backlash from the partnership with Mulvaney, Bud Light initially defended the move before offering a half-hearted apology to its loyal customers last week.

https://i.imgur.com/dGNA7s2.png

Heinerscheid has led the brand since June. It’s unclear if her replacement, Todd Allen, the global vice president of Budweiser, would be in the role permanently.

A replacement has not been announced for Blake, who has worked at Anheuser-Busch for nearly nine years.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

I suspect Rogan's sexuality is secure - unlike Bud light drinkers


:ghey2:

Or maybe, just maybe, average people are finally getting fed up with having woke shit shoved down their throats on a daily basis.

[lost in melb.]

Or maybe, just maybe, average people are finally getting fed up with having woke shit shoved down their throats on a daily basis.

Possibly. But I don't think this is an example of that.

They probably just peaked too late.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Ryan Saavedra - The Daily Wire


https://i.imgur.com/fcUOI5el.jpg

A leftist pro-LGBT organization is trying to pressure Anheuser-Busch, the maker of Bud Light, to come out publicly and announce its support for controversial transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

The Hill reported that the Human Rights Campaign sent a letter to Anheuser-Busch last week that criticized the company’s response to the significant backlash that it has faced across the country over its paid marketing engagement with Mulvaney.

“In this moment, it is absolutely critical for Anheuser-Busch to stand in solidarity with Dylan and the trans community,” the letter states. “However, when faced with anti-LGBTQ+ and transphobic criticism, Anheuser-Busch’s actions demonstrate a profound lack of fortitude in upholding its values of diversity, equity, and inclusion to employees, customers, shareholders and the LGBTQ+ community.”

“This not only lends credence to hate-filled rhetoric, it exposes Anheuser-Busch to long-term business impacts with employees and customers increasingly looking for steadfast commitment to LGBTQ+ corporate citizenships,” the letter said.

The organization is preparing to punish Anheuser-Busch by lowering its “long-standing 100 percent Corporate Equality Index score” because of how it has responded to the controversy, the report said.

The letter said that the Human Rights Campaign wants the company to release a statement “reaffirming its full support for its transgender customers, shareholders, and employees.”

The company has declined meeting with the organization, the report said.

The controversy surrounding Anheuser-Busch was worsened after CEO Brendan Whitworth issued a statement on April 14 that did not make mention of Mulvaney, transgenderism — or offer an apology to offended customers.

“We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people,” Whitworth said in the statement. “We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer.”

BeerBoard, a tech company that provides data to the beverage industry, said this week that Bud Light has seen a significant decline in pours at restaurants and bars across the U.S. following the controversy.

The company has since placed two of its executives on leave, including Daniel Blake, who is in charge of marketing for Anheuser-Busch’s mainstream brands, and Bud Light Vice President of Marketing Alissa Heinerscheid.

[PorkChopSandwiches]

:stfu:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

The organization is preparing to punish Anheuser-Busch by lowering its “long-standing 100 percent Corporate Equality Index score” because of how it has responded to the controversy, the report said.

:nervous:

[PorkChopSandwiches]

:rofl:

[DemonGeminiX]

If you pay close attention, this guy throws some zingers in there.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_2UBCVXFEs




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNoE9Evo3r4

[PorkChopSandwiches]

:rofl: He's dry but funny

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Ariel Zilber - New York Post


https://i.imgur.com/G0IuWbfl.jpg
Bud Light announced its partnership with Mulvaney, a social
media influencer with an online following of more than 10
million people.

A staggering sales hit for Bud Light is worsening with each passing week following an ill-fated marketing tie-up with transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney — with the latest weekly figures showing a 21% drop.

During the week ended April 22 — the most recent industry data available — Bud Light sales plunged 21%, accelerating from a 17% slide a week earlier and an initial weekly drop of 6% when the controversy kicked off during the first week of April, according to Nielsen IQ and Bump Williams Consulting.

Meanwhile, beer volumes — the number of cases sold, whether in packs of 12, 18 or 24 cans — dropped an even steeper 26% last week, versus a 21% drop a week earlier and an initial drop of 11%, according to the data.

That’s an indication that Bud Light’s core customers — who typically buy their beer in bulk — are ditching the brand, beverage expert Bump Williams said in a Tuesday interview.

“Larger packages of Bud Light are not being purchased — the 30-pack suitcases, the 20-packs, the 18-packs, the 12-packs — they’re all being impacted,” Williams told The Post. “It’s going to be very, very hard to reverse the decline.”

Bud Light remains the bestselling beer in the US, with sales last year topping $4.8 billion. By comparison, the No. 2 brand, Modelo Especial, sold $3.75 billion while Michelob Ultra generated $3.3 billion in sales, according to Williams’ Connecticut-based research firm.

Nevertheless, the precipitous sales drops of the past few weeks have left its sales year to date down a painful 8%, threatening Bud Light’s leading position, the latest sales data show. Unless parent Anheuser-Busch turns things around, “then Bud Light is in serious trouble this year,” according to Williams.

“I think it runs the risk of losing that No. 1 position at the end of calendar year 2023 to Modelo Especial,” Williams said.

The Post has sought comment from Anheuser-Busch.

Earlier this month, Mulvaney began posting images and videos of herself on social media pitching Bud Light — prompting anger and calls for a boycott.

https://i.imgur.com/yNx0Rn8.jpg
Bud Light sales fell by 26% for the week ending on April 22.

The controversy also prompted Bud Light to place two marketing executives — Alissa Heinerscheid, the vice president of marketing, and her boss, Daniel Blake — on leave.

Williams said Heinerscheid, who was hired to lead marketing for Bud Light last year amid slumping sales, tried to tap into the progressive youth demographic.

“Her big miss was I don’t think she understood who the core Bud Light shopper was,” Williams said.

“When she came out with her comments, they were deemed as being derogatory, insulting and juvenile,” Williams said. “And the Bud Light drinkers said, ‘Enough of that.’”

https://i.imgur.com/zK5HUm0.png

The company has been trying to win back the hearts and minds of those who were upset by the Mulvaney campaign.

Over the weekend, Bud Light released a “countrified” YouTube ad showing young beer drinkers frolicking in the rain at a country music festival.

The ad, which premiered during the live airing of the NFL Draft last week on ABC and ESPN, shows the youngsters cracking open a can of beer as a hit song by the Zac Brown Band is heard playing in the background.

But critics accused the company of pandering in an attempt to regain consumer trust.

Mulvaney’s brand deals with Nike, Maybelline and Kate Spade have also triggered backlash.

Women’s magazine Allure recently put Mulvaney on its annual “A-list,” prompting calls for a boycott.

[lost in melb.]

Bud light :homer:


:wank:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

FOX Business


https://i.imgur.com/YhK1fAm.png

Anheuser-Busch CEO Michel Doukeris addressed the Bud Light controversy on an earnings call with investors Thursday, downplaying the brand's partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney that prompted a boycott from conservatives.

Doukeris told investors there is "misinformation" spreading on social media about the company's team-up with Mulvaney.

"We need to clarify the facts that this was one camp, one influencer, one post and not a campaign," Doukeris said.

The CEO said Anheuser-Busch is "providing direct financial support" to the frontline workers impacted by the boycott, naming delivery drivers, sales representatives, wholesalers, bar owners and servers. Doukeris said the brewing giant will triple media spending on advertising for Bud Light over the summer, confirming reports that the company is planning a major marketing push to recover its brand.

Bud Light remains embroiled in controversy after the brand sent Mulvaney a personalized pack of beer with the influencer's likeness as part of an ad for the company's March Madness contest and to celebrate a year since Mulvaney began identifying as a woman.

After the partnership went viral, Anheuser-Busch lost some $5 billion in market value amid calls for a nationwide boycott, and bars and distributors across the country reported significant drops in Bud Light sales.

The backlash led the brand to shake up its marketing team, and Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth published a lengthy statement hoping to tamp down the animosity aimed at Bud Light and its parent company.

Doukeris said it was too early to tell how the boycott affected Bud Light sales but was bullish that Anheuser-Busch will quickly recover from any setback. He reminded investors that the company has navigated global challenges including temporary bans on beer sales in certain countries and shutdowns of bars and restaurants across the globe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We believe we have the experience, the resources and the partners to manage this. And our four-year growth outlook is unchanged," Doukeris said.

"We want to reiterate our support for our wholesaler partners and everyone who brings our great beers to the market. I can tell you that we have the agility, resources and people to support the U.S. team and move forward," he added.

"We will continue to learn, meet the moment in time, all be stronger and we work tirelessly to do what we do best: Bring people together over a beer and creating a future of more cheers."

[lost in melb.]

I suspect they won't be doing that again in a hurry

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Richard Moorhead - The Western Journal


https://i.imgur.com/BB43ginl.jpeg

Fans at one of baseball’s iconic stadiums appear to be opting out of Bud Light following its partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

A concessions stand stacked with Bud Light beers was wholly ignored by fans seeking fare elsewhere at Boston’s Fenway Park in a video published Wednesday on social media.

The video was filmed during a four-game series between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Boston Red Sox this week.

Fans were lined up at a neighboring stand, leaving the Bud Light-stacked stand empty.

The brand has concessions rights at 15 different venues within Fenway Park, according to a Red Sox guide.

Luis Tejada, who identifies himself as a Boston real estate agent, pointed out what was happening in the since-viral video shared on YouTube and TikTok.

“Crickets at Bud Light stands in Fenway Park,” Tejada titled the YouTube video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeJQbMkN8fw

“Fenway Park Bud light stand Ghost Town!” he captioned the TikTok clip.

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“That is so funny and bizarre,” the video’s author expressed in a signature Boston accent.

“Look at that. … That is every single Bud Light stand here at Fenway Park in Boston,” he said, pointing to a concession with no customers.

“They’re in trouble,” Tejada said. “I mean, I guess marketing has some questions to answer.”

At least one Twitter user who saw the clip speculated that baseball’s conservative-leaning fan base might be more inclined to opt out of transgender-linked beer.
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Another fan noticed that the peculiar scene took place at a ballpark in Boston — a reliably blue city in a Democratic state.
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Anheuser-Busch InBev, Bud Light’s parent company, has brought about an impromptu boycott of its products through its partnership with Mulvaney in March.

The company has all but admitted that the backlash has significantly impacted its business.

It reportedly offered free cases of beer to smaller distributors irked that the beer giant jeopardized its consumer relationships to promote the TikTok star.

Sales of Bud Light declined by 21 percent during the week of April 22 — while sales of its light beer competitors increased accordingly.

Anheuser-Busch’s corporate management has sought to downplay its partnership with Mulvaney to irked investors, dismissing an arrangement that saw Mulvaney’s face put on a can of Bud Light to celebrate the transgender activist’s “day 365 of womanhood.”

[lost in melb.]

It looks like the Right has got the hang of cancel culture ;)

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Yael Halon | Fox News


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Bud Light continued to see a decline in sales during the month of May as consumers nationwide revolt against the nation's top-selling beer brand over its controversial partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

This is Bud Light's fifth straight week of plunging sales since Mulvaney first announced a collaboration with the brand, reigniting concern among distributors over whether the beer maker can successfully heal from the branding nightmare.

Compared to a year ago, retail sales of Bud Light in the U.S. were down by 23.6% in the week ending on May 6, surpassing the 23.3% decline the brand saw in the last week of April, according to data from Bump Williams Consulting and NielsenIQ, cited by the New York Post.

Anheuser-Busch, Bud Light's parent company, also saw significant declines in year over year sales of its other products, though at a slower rate than in previous weeks. Budweiser sales were down 9.7% compared to 11.4% a week earlier; Michelob Ultra dropped 2.9% versus 4.3%; and Natural Light was down 2.5% compared to a 5.2% decline in sales the week prior, the Post reported.

The latest numbers come after a report released by Beer Business Daily found that the beer company faced net losses for four weeks in April leading up to April 29. This followed initial reports that showed Bud Light in-store sales dropped 26% in the week of April 22.

Data from Connecticut-based Bump Williams Consulting also showed that total sales for Bud Light fell by 8% for the year so far, costing the company approximately $5 billion in losses.

The sharp drop in sales prompted HSBC to downgrade Anheuser-Busch InBev stock to hold in early May, citing a "crisis" following the brand's controversial marketing campaign that sparked intense backlash after videos emerged of Mulvaney showing a can of Bud Light featuring the activist's face in celebration of Mulvaney’s "year of girlhood." The promotion quickly led to calls for boycotts, particularly among conservative commentators.

In the meantime, the company has since attempted to make amends with its customers. Bud Light marketing vice president Alissa Heinerscheid and Daniel Blake, who oversees marketing for Anheuser-Busch’s mainstream brands, both took a leave of absence after the backlash, particularly after Heinerscheid was caught in an interview blasting the brand as "fratty" with "out of touch humor." A new country-based ad aired during the NFL Draft on April 27 as part of a new campaign.

The company has also attempted to contextualize the Mulvaney videos, explaining that a "third-party ad agency" was responsible for the collaboration with no intention to sell the can. Anheuser-Busch stated that the marketing firm has since been fired, though it declined to name the company.

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Anheuser-Busch also originally put out a statement to Fox News Digital regarding the can.

"Anheuser-Busch works with hundreds of influencers across our brands as one of many ways to authentically connect with audiences across various demographics. From time to time we produce unique commemorative cans for fans and for brand influencers, like Dylan Mulvaney. This commemorative can was a gift to celebrate a personal milestone and is not for sale to the general public," an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

[PorkChopSandwiches]

I shorted BUD last week, I'm up 168% as of today. :dance:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Brian Flood | Fox News


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Bud Light has reportedly informed wholesalers it would buy back unsold beer once it expires as the company continues to face backlash from its polarizing pact with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

The Wall Street Journal published a lengthy feature on the company’s struggles after conservatives across America have ditched Bud Light over the saga that began in March when Mulvaney publicized that the beer company sent packs of Bud Light featuring the influencer’s face as a way to celebrate a full year of "girlhood." Backlash was swift, and the promotion is now considered one of the most polarizing in the history of the digital space.

Now it seems parent company Anheuser-Busch is taking steps to help wholesalers who have taken a hit.

"The brewer recently told its wholesalers that it would buy back unsold cases of beer that have gone past their expiration date," the Wall Street Journal report.

Anheuser-Busch did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"Anheuser-Busch works with 385 independent distributors, or wholesalers, across the country," the WSJ added. "Many of them are family-owned businesses that have carried Anheuser-Busch products for generations … the wholesalers’ employees, many driving trucks bearing the Bud Light logo, were soon confronted by angry people on streets, in stores and in bars. There were bomb threats at several Anheuser-Busch facilities and wholesaler locations."

Compared to a year ago, retail sales of Bud Light in the U.S. were down by 23.6% in the week ending on May 6, surpassing the 23.3% decline the brand saw in the last week of April, according to data from Bump Williams Consulting and NielsenIQ, cited by the New York Post.

Anheuser-Busch InBev CEO Michel Doukeris has attempted to downplay the partnership. He told investors there is "misinformation" spreading on social media about the company's team-up with Mulvaney.

"We need to clarify the facts that this was one can, one influencer, one post and not a campaign," Doukeris said in comments that were expanded on by the WSJ.

"The single personalized can made for Mulvaney was not available for sale. Yet as the backlash picked up, many people, including bar and store owners, wrongly believed that Mulvaney’s video was a television commercial or that the can with her picture on it was available in stores," the WSJ noted.

The company has since attempted to make amends with its customers. Bud Light marketing vice president Alissa Heinerscheid and Daniel Blake, who oversees marketing for Anheuser-Busch’s mainstream brands, both took a leave of absence after the backlash, particularly after Heinerscheid was caught in an interview blasting the brand as previously being "fratty" with "out of touch humor."

The company has also attempted to contextualize the Mulvaney videos, explaining that a "third-party ad agency" was responsible for the collaboration with no intention to sell the can.

The company is also set to launch a line of camouflage aluminum bottles that promote the "Folds of Honor" program, which provides educational scholarships for families of fallen and disabled American military service members and first responders, the New York Post reported.

Many have argued the attempts to undo the damage from the Mulvaney marketing campaign will not undo the damage done to the brand.

[PorkChopSandwiches]

They had $20 rebates on Bud Lite that was for sale $19.98. Still it sat :lol:

[lost in melb.]

They had $20 rebates on Bud Lite that was for sale $19.98. Still it sat :lol:

I see the signs out on the main road here selling beer. Bud light is the cheapest always :lol:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Lindsay Kornick , Alexa Moutevelis | Fox News


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Some Budweiser products are being sold for free in some stores thanks to a new promotional rebate from the Anheuser-Busch company, following weeks of Bud Light backlash.

Ahead of the Memorial Day weekend, Bud Light revealed a new promotion called the US Budweiser Family Memorial Day Rebate online for customers from eligible states. The rebate promises an amount "equivalent to the purchase price of one (1) 15-pack or larger, up to $15" of Bud Light, Budweiser, Budweiser Select or Budweiser Select 55 paid via Anheuser-Busch Digital Prepaid Mastercard. Based on recent prices for Bud Light products, however, in some cases this would be giving packs of beer away for free.

Online searches of local beer retailers find many offers under $15 for 15-packs or larger of these Budweiser products, making the products free after rebate, excluding sales tax or any state restrictions.

On Wednesday, a Nashua, New Hampshire, Shaw's Supermarket had 30-packs of Bud Light cans on sale for $19.99, down from $24.99, making the price about $5 after rebate.

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Social media users are also discussing their free or low cost beer finds at local shops, including one Twitter account that posted photos said to be "Displays seen in two different stores in Wisconsin, a state known for drinking a lot of beer." The images showed signs promoting 20-pack prices of $14.99 with the $15 rebate giving purchasers a final cost of $0.
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The rebate applies to purchases made between May 17 and May 31, and forms must be submitted by June 14.

Anheuser-Busch did not respond to a request for comment on the rebate promotion.

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This significant reduction in prices via sales and rebates follow a severe backlash against Bud Light products as well as the Anheuser-Busch brand for partnering transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney. Mulvaney was featured in videos drinking a Bud Light can with the activist’s face in honor of the completion of "365 days of girlhood."

The videos kickstarted conservative efforts to boycott the product. Though Anheuser-Busch insisted that the can was not intended to be publicly sold, the outrage continued to affect sales. According to data from Bump Williams Consulting, sales for Bud Light were down by 23.6% compared to one year ago.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Anheuser-Busch will help wholesalers handle unsold merchandise.

"The brewer recently told its wholesalers that it would buy back unsold cases of beer that have gone past their expiration date," the WSJ reported.

[lost in melb.]

Lol

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Yael Halon | Fox News


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A glass bottling company impacted by Bud Light's botched promotion with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney will close down two of its locations, laying off more than 600 employees as the beer brand continues to grapple with staggering financial losses and declining sales.

The Ardagh Group, a global glass producer who contracts with the Anheuser-Busch company, announced that they will be closing their plants in North Carolina and Louisiana in July, putting roughly 645 employees out of a job, WRAL reported.

The bottling company did not reveal the reason for the move, but an investigation by WRAL reportedly found that the plants are shuttering because of tanking Bud Light sales, as retailers, distributors, bars and contracted companies feel the wrath of nationwide boycotts over the controversial Bud Light partnership that celebrated Mulvaney's "365 Days of Girlhood."

Workers at both bottling plants have reportedly noticed decreased production after Mulvaney's video announcing the collaboration on social media gained public attention in April, WRAL reported. A machine repair mechanic told the outlet that the drop in demand forced the Louisiana and North Carolina plants to put some of their machines offline, which he attributed to "the Bud Light situation."

In an internal Ardagh Group memo obtained by WRAL, executives said they planned to shut down the two plants "due to slow sales with Anheuser-InBev," Longtime employees told the outlet that they were not surprised by the move, considering that a large part of their business at those plants was producing bottles for Budweiser and Bud Light.

Employees at the Wilson, North Carolina plant reportedly said their manager confirmed to them that they were shuttering its doors because of the Bud Light boycott.

"'Because of Budweiser no longer selling the bottle, they no longer needed our product," David Williams, a machine repair mechanic, told WRAL.

Bud Light sales have slumped since the beermaker gifted Mulvaney special cans in April to celebrate a full year of "girlhood." A second video then featured Mulvaney in a bathtub drinking a Bud Light beer — prompting online outrage and nationwide boycotts that resulted in a sales decline that has yet to rebound.

The brand, which has already lost billions of dollars in market value, has taken several steps to alleviate the backlash, such as heavily discounting beer and offering rebates that make Bud Light "basically free to the consumers" in some markets. The beermaker has also taken steps to help distributors, increased its marketing budget, launched a new summer ad campaign, and dispatched CEO Brendan Whitworth to appear on "CBS Mornings" to provide clarity on the now-infamous debacle.

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But despite their best efforts, the backlash against the Bud Light brand seems to be lingering as sales of the beer continue to slide. Bud Light sales were down 24.4% compared to a year ago for the week ending June 3, NiselsenIQ data provided to FOX Business by Bump Williams Consulting showed. Modelo Especial passed Bud Light as the #1 Selling Beer Brand on a dollar basis for the four-week and single-week period ending June 3.

Mulvaney recently ripped the controversy against Bud Light, claiming it prompted more bullying and "more transphobia than I could’ve ever imagined." The trans influencer also blasted the company for not being supportive as Mulvaney dealt with the "transphobia."