Anheuser-Busch, Bud Light’s parent company, sent a can to transgender TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney celebrating his “365 Days of Girlhood.” Mulvaney also posted several videos promoting the beer brand. Mulvaney is known for his TikTok videos documenting his “Days of Girlhood,” which critics accuse of promoting a demeaning depiction of womanhood.
"The controversy, now nearing its third month, has turned off a broader customer group than just those who characterize themselves as conservatives."
Targeting one brand per business sector at a time could effect massive change. Could even turn back time.https://t.co/HVxE0OZh24
— Megan Basham (@megbasham) May 24, 2023
“It just seems like an unlucky draw,” Schuhmacher continued. “The timing and the zeitgeist and the divided environment all combined to create this unbelievable boycott that nobody could have anticipated.”
Bud Light parent company Anheuser-Busch is reportedly giving distributors free beer to apologize for their plummeting sales. The company is even reportedly producing camouflage bottles and bottle with images of the “Folds of Honor” program to woo back their conservative customer base.
Bud Light’s in-store sales plummeted during the week of April 17-22, according to a report by Bump Williams Consulting. Sales dropped by 21%, and 11% in the two weeks preceding. Pours in bars and restaurants across the country have also decreased, with servers pouring 6% less Bud Lights from April 2 to April 15.
“Nobody imagined it would go on this long,” Schuhmacher said. He continued: “It seems random — it struck a nerve. I’ve never seen anything to compare it to, in all of the [consumer packaged goods] industry. It’s a real shock.”
