Hey guys, it’s Julia Reynolds back with another update on the latest trending news. And today’s news is all about beer. Specifically, Bud Light and the controversy surrounding the trans-identifying influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
So here’s the deal. Anheuser-Busch, the brewery that makes Bud Light, sent a letter to wholesalers trying to convince them that the controversy has been blown out of proportion. The sale of Bud Light has continued to plummet ever since Mulvaney posted a TikTok video with a can of Bud Light that had Mulvaney’s face on it. In the video, Mulvaney celebrated 365 days of “being a woman.”
But Anheuser-Busch is trying to downplay the whole thing. They say that the can was given to Mulvaney by an outside agency and was not intended for production or sale to the general public. It was just one single can given to one social media influencer.
Grey Eagle, which distributes Anheuser-Busch products, forwarded the letter to retailers, bars, and restaurants. In their cover letter, Grey Eagle stated that “Anheuser-Busch did not intend to create controversy or make a political statement.” They also said that since the lack of oversight and control over marketing decisions has been addressed and a new VP of Bud Light marketing has been announced.
But some people aren’t convinced. Robert Lachky, the former chief creative officer at Anheuser-Busch, told the St. Louis Dispatch that “the minute you step into the political or religious spectrum, when you know your target audience is going to have a real issue with this, you know you’ve alienated at least half of your target audience.” He also criticized the current marketing team, saying that none of them had ever been to a NASCAR race, football game, or rodeo, and that this was “insanity” and “marketing incompetence.”
Now Anheuser-Busch Begs for Forgiveness From Retailers by Giving Out ‘Free Beer’🤣
Anheuser-Busch is begging for forgiveness from wholesale employees in yet another attempt to do damage control as consumers continue to boycott Bud Light after partnering with a transgender… pic.twitter.com/GibqxtSVM4— 1776 (@TheWakeninq) May 4, 2023
In the wake of the controversy, Anheuser-Busch is reportedly offering a free case of beer to every employee of its wholesaler network. This giveaway might be the only way to get rid of a product that customers are rejecting. Many family-run businesses that are part of Anheuser-Busch’s wholesaler network have been hurt by the disastrous PR stunt and the boycott that has followed.
