Bud Light Sales Plunge As Anti-Trans Backlash Continues

metroweekly.com:

partner with Mulvaney for a promotional campaign, in which the actress and singer appeared in a TikTok video, clad in black gown and gloves, drinking a Bud Light, as part of a “March Madness” promotion during the annual NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournament.Bud Light sent Mulvaney a commemorative can with a picture of Mulvaney’s face on the exterior, celebrating the first anniversary of her “Days of Girlhood” video series documenting her gender transition.Mulvaney also appeared in an online ad where she sat in a bubble bath, clad in a bathing suit, while sipping Bud Light.Even though the commemorative gift can was never made available for sale to the public, the mere use of a transgender spokesperson offended many conservatives, including, apparently, a significant chunk of Bud Light’s loyal consumer base.An informal boycott of Bud Light — and of any products produced by its parent company, Anheuser-Busch — ensued, with some complaining that the company was pushing an “agenda” of “indoctrination” by having a transgender person featured prominently in a marketing campaign.

Others complained that Mulvaney’s gender identity should not be celebrated because she is not a biological female.Several celebrities, including country singer Travis Tritt, cut ties with Anheuser-Busch products, while Kid Rock and model and influencer Bri Teresi both posted videos of them shooting cases of Bud Light beer with semi-automatic rifles.

According to Bump Williams, Bud Light brand manager Alissa Gordon Heinerscheid — one of two employees placed on leave following the fallout from the partnership with Mulvaney — attempted to appeal to a younger, more politically progressive market but ended up offending more conservative longtime.