Bud Light Executive Takes Leave of Absence Amid Controversy
Bud Light’s Vice President of Marketing, Alissa Heinerscheid, will be taking a leave of absence from the company amidst a period of upheaval and controversy. Todd Allen, the VP of Global Marketing at Budweiser, will be assuming her responsibilities. This move comes as senior marketers become increasingly involved in all aspects of the brand’s activities.
In the wake of recent controversy that began two weeks ago, Heinerscheid appeared on the “Make Yourself At Home” podcast, where she discussed the brand’s efforts to reinvigorate its image and attract younger drinkers. While inclusivity is an essential component of brand evolution, Bud Light may have overlooked its adult audience in its attempts to appeal to politically active younger demographics. The brand’s recent campaigns and partnerships have generated concerns about its direction, resulting in backlash and calls for boycotts.
Controversy over Partnership with Transgender Influencer
Bud Light faced backlash over a marketing campaign that featured Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender influencer. The campaign included a custom can with Mulvaney’s face on it, and Instagram posts celebrating “day 365 of womanhood.” The controversy escalated when Heinerscheid received criticism for calling the brand “out of touch” and “fratty.”
Due to the continuing protest against its products, Anheuser-Busch has suffered a market capital loss of more than $6 billion.. Many individuals still refuse to purchase Anheuser-Busch products in the future, maintaining their stance against the company, making it likely the losses will continue for the company.
Response from Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch InBev, Bud Light’s parent company, released a statement about the controversy. The statement did not mention Mulvaney or issue an apology to customers. Instead, the statment chose to emphasize the company’s commitment to brewing “great” beer and making a ‘positive impact in communities.’
— Anheuser-Busch (@AnheuserBusch) April 14, 2023
Public Figures React to Controversy
Several public figures spoke out against Bud Light over the partnership with Mulvaney, including country music stars Travis Tritt and John Rich. Kid Rock posted a video showing him shooting cases of Bud Light and expressing his anger at the company for pushing their ideology onto others, especially a market notorious for being a working-class beer of choice.
Country Music Star Receives Cheers For Dropping Bud Light
Country music star John Rich received cheers from fans after he announced he was dropping Bud Light beer in response to the company’s partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Rich shared a video on social media in which he poured out a bottle of Bud Light and encouraged his followers to join him in boycotting the brand. The video received thousands of comments from fans supporting Rich’s decision to speak out against the partnership.
Crowd goes wild after country star changes lyrics of his hit song to remove Bud Light reference. pic.twitter.com/XwzQLZKPwA
— Fox News (@FoxNews) April 18, 2023
Majority of Americans Support Boycott of Bud Light over Transgender Promotion
Poll: Bud Light Boycott Over Dylan Mulvaney – Who Do Americans Support?
A survey by Rasmussen Reports found that a majority of Americans are in favor of boycotting Bud Light due to its transgender promotion. The survey, which used a combination of telephone and online responses, found that 40% of American adults would be less likely to buy Bud Light due to the transgender promotion, while only 19% said the promotion would make them more likely to purchase the beer. Anheuser-Busch InBev, the parent company of Bud Light, has lost over $6 billion in market capitalization since announcing its partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. The backlash and calls for a boycott have impacted the company’s stock price, which was trading at $63 at the close of the market on Wednesday, down from around $66 before the announcement.
The survey also found a significant generation gap among respondents. While 33% of those aged between 18 and 39 were more likely to purchase Bud Light because of the promotion, only 6% of those aged 65 and older expressed such favorability. 53% of those in the 40-64-year-old group were least favorable to the ad, stating they were less likely to purchase Bud Light. The survey highlights the importance of corporations being mindful of consumer sensitivities and perceptions when implementing marketing strategies. Meanwhile, Budweiser has launched a new advertisement with patriotic messaging and imagery in an attempt to move away from the controversy.
It is totally insane for this huge company to encourage hatred towards 165 million American females by encouraging the communist transgender WAR on women.
Never liked their beer. No matter how many hormones, surgeries, or group think delusion, nobody can change the gender they were born. God made man and woman. Man and woman made weirdo’s.
Hehehe! Good one but ??????
Yesterday I bought 3 cases of COORS ! Yesterday I started my LIFETIME Boycot of all Anheiser Bush Poducts not just bud bush and all the other brands they sell and I have a list !
Coors is woke too. If you want to go with a real America loving brand switch to Yuengling.
Would pont out 50% of the Board of Directors are Miller Coors members.
So you are saying that MillerCoors which has a 50% interest in Yuengling , that would mean Yuengling is also woke.
Interesting, there is a woke everywhere any more
A B / Budweiser, the company for radical, anti-American Progressives, no matter what their ads show.
I feel sorry for the Clydesdales after this debacle. As far as Bud Light and its affiliates, you deserve everything “bad” coming your way.
AAAA-man to that Bro.
Buy UFO Beer, craft IPAs, Jeffersons Ocean aged bourbon
Businesses should stick to their main function of producing material, financial, and intellectual products and services. Taking sides in political, racial, and social matters is ignorant. Those entities supporting either side(s) do so at their peril. I am shocked that Budweiser wasn’t more aware of its target audience.
They hired some Liberal Snowflake who probably drinks Kool-aid and eats cupcakes. She has been placed on “Leave of Absence”, when she should have been fired.
First rule of business-Never alienate your customer base!
Second rule of business-if you do alienate your customer base take responsibility for your actions and fix your screwups.
Third rule of business-either fire the idiot or idiots who caused the problem or else make sure that they can’t repeat their mistake in the future.
Butt Wiper seems to have forgotten those rules or at least they choose to ignore them. Maybe they’ll learn to think twice before they hire some liberal twit who doesn’t have enough sense to get in out of the rain.
Damage-control mode…and, nobody in woke-istan or lib-+#rd “la-la land” was 👀 drinking Bud-lites❗️🥸
The beer company still doesn’t get it. They put a fake woman on a can of beer. They are putting men dressing as fake women over real women. This company is helping to destroy women’s sports and rights. Using a man as a woman is not right. The woke culture is destroying the moral compass of America. Joe Biden doesn’t care as long as his party gets votes. Joe Biden is not a American president. Just a traitor getting money for personal gain.
It’s Miller time!
I have drank bud and Michelob for years, no more. Will change my brand and never touch your woke shit again.
gerçekten güzel bir yazı olmuş. Yanlış bildiğimiz bir çok konu varmış. Teşekkürler.
You are never going to pull in the young demographics with a light beer so this was just a stupid plan all along. You piss off the demographics that puts food on your table. Bye bud.
King of beers just became queen of former beer.
It is unbelievable that some clown who believes they understand the mass, will change their brand into a very touchy mental controversy knowing full well it has outraged Americans. Just so she understands, boy parts = BOY they should not be construed as anything different. Next I expect she’ll have the horses marching in the parades in LGBTQiA+ colors what a farce. Have you also noticed archeologists only discover boys or girls ..no other gender.
You go Woke you go Broke. Be sure to let us know when your VP is permanently dismissed. BTW why would your representative feel so bold as to create a Partership with a mental illness such as Transgenderism. As far as senior management being totally unaware that this happened, I find to be unbelievable. Bud Light was my beverage of choice for decades but not anymore. Thank you for setting me free as I want no part with an organization that pushes Transgenderism and its harmful effects to women across our nation.
I am going to keep my ear to the ground for a deal when they sell off their beautiful Clydesdales because they are going to have to replace them with pink Flamingos.
paid train loads of money to destroy thed company…..Where do I sign up?
As a lifelong Bud drinker, I switched to Pabst and Coors because I won’t spend my money With a company that subsidizes degeneracy and perversion.
good thing it is not American owned!
gone woke gone broke
Bud light still doesn’t get. You put a fake woman out and disrespected real women. Your submission to woke culture and a little man playing dress up is totally insane. You deserve to have your business to go broke. Just a company bowing down to the elites to destroy real women’s rights.
What ever got into the Mind of this woman? That a freak on the Bud can would sell beer???? Especially the beer that for many years has touted the All American way of life with cowboys, football and Beautiful Horses lovable animals and homie type scenes,
To swing to the freak side of this Nation that seems to have become somewhat popular or a novelty since Moochel Obama and Obamy were in our White House????
Busch is nothing more than beer colored water, drank one twelve pack and switched to Miller.
Dear AB,
You can run but you can’t hide. You’ve got to make a choice. This is not about men pretending to be women and that you endorse that behavior. It’s about business. If indeed your sales went up after the boy-girl promotion, then you made the right call. Good for business. But the data smacking you in the face should tell you otherwise. Man up, say it was a terrible idea like Crystal Pepsi and you will not do it again. That’s all they are asking. Double down and get ready to feel the effects in the long run. I’ve got an idea for you! Replace the Clydesdales with circus ponies. Am I hired?
Since Bud wanted attention, and trying to make more money they should think about making collector cans of politicians, and movie stars who stand with them.
Oh, just close the plant. We don’t care anymore and are tired of hearing about this. They did it to themselves and now we’re supposed to feel sorry for them? No way.