- Bud Light experiences a drop in sales in the US after the association with the transgender influencer Mulvaney.
- The brand is also facing questions from the LGBTQ+ community over a lack of support following conservative criticism.
- In that framework, AB InBev decided to donate $200,000 to the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce to support minority-led businesses.
Bud Light beer sales collapsed in the United States in April and May.
The commercial phenomenon is a direct consequence of the impact related to the failure of the brand’s association with the transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
Indeed, the company behind Bud Light, AB InBev, gave Mulvaney personalized cans with his face on them, and with them, Mulvaney did promotions on social networks (Instagram especially) in the first days of April.
However, the agreement was poorly received by consumers of the drink, who made their anger known on the networks.
In this context, Bud Light announced that it will make a donation of $200,000 to support the LGBTQ+ community. This group recriminates him that he did not do much in favor of defending the rights of transsexuals when the brand was attacked by conservatives.
According to publish ageBud Light will make the donation to the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce in the United States in what will be an expansion of the agreement it already has with the exclusive certifying body for LGBT-owned companies.
That extra income from the organization will go to the Color Communities Initiative (CoCi), through which it seeks to support the growth and success of companies that are owned by LGBTQ+ minorities. It is done through certifications, scholarships and business development.
Bud Light is no longer the best-selling beer in America.
It’s the first time since 2001 the beer hasn’t held the title. Wow. pic.twitter.com/HIm3GbI9Lo
— Morning Brew ☕️ (@MorningBrew) June 14, 2023
Bud Light and the problem with Dylan Mulvaney
The crisis at AB InBev was so severe that the crisis led to the departure of two senior marketing executives.
The problem was not minor Beer Business Daily reported that the volume of beer sales outside of bars and restaurants in the week that ended on April 22, that is, that which is sold especially in supermarkets and local stores, fell 26 percent compared to the same week in 2022 .
In the first week of April, sales had fallen 21.2 percent.
In parallel, competing brands such as Coors Light and Miller Lite posted increases in sales.
In May, meanwhile, Modelo Especial surpassed Bud Light in sales in the United States for the first time.
In early June, top Anheuser-Busch executives held a meeting with distributors where they laid out their plan to get out of trouble and vowed to “spend big” on Bud Light to save face, according to reports. Daily Mail. So far, it hasn’t worked.
Now read:
Bud Light Continues to Experience Sales Decline with No Immediate Resolution in Sight
Bud Light sells 26% less after the disastrous partnership with Dylan Mulvaney
Modelo unseats Bud Light as the best-selling beer in the US