In an unexpected move, billionaire philanthropist and all around creepy guy Bill Gates has made a substantial investment in Anheuser-Busch, the parent company of Bud Light, by acquiring 1.7 million shares worth $95 million through his Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust during the second quarter of this year.

This purchase has raised eyebrows especially given the recent controversies surrounding the iconic beer brand.

Anheuser-Busch, a brewing giant headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, has faced, to put it mildly, a turbulent period following a marketing campaign that went south.

The company’s decision to partner with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney for the promotion of Bud Light on social media backfired dramatically, causing the brand to quickly lose its coveted number one position in the market.

The fallout from this marketing misstep has been enormous.

Anheuser-Busch’s stock price has plummeted by nearly 9% over the past six months, with a recent 3% dip bringing it down to $56.08 per share.

The primary catalyst for this decline has been a nationwide boycott of Bud Light, driven by ongoing public outrage.

In contrast, Modelo Especial has taken full advantage of Bud Light’s fall from grace.

It has become the nation’s new leader in beer sales, surpassing Bud Light in year-to-date sales, with an 8.4% market share compared to Bud Light’s 8.2%, as reported by Bump Williams Consulting and NielsonIQ.

Political commentator Benny Johnson recently conducted an on-the-ground investigation into public sentiment surrounding Bud Light in Nashville.

His attempts to give away free Bud Light on Broadway Street was met with mixed reactions.

Some flatly rejected the offer using, shall we say, colorful language, while others reluctantly accepted.

The general sentiment in the video was unmistakable: Bud Light had incurred the wrath of many Americans.

One respondent who expressed a belief in Christian and family values, suggesting that the marketing campaign had strayed from the principles that the nation was built upon.

Others echoed this sentiment, and vowed to never drink the beer again.

Johnson also ran into a bartender at John Rich’s bar, “Redneck Riviera,” who confirmed that Bud Light sales had plummeted, and the brand was met with disdain from patrons.

Bill Gates’ investment in Anheuser-Busch, despite his own admission of not being a beer enthusiast, is seen as a strategic move and shows he believes the brand will recover.

This isn’t the first time Gates has ventured into the world of beer investments, having previously acquired a stake in Heineken Holding NV.

He purchased 10.8 million shares in the Dutch drinks giant valued at $939.87 million.

Bill Gates’ recent investment in Anheuser-Busch, particularly in the midst of Bud Light’s troubles, adds an unexpected twist to the ongoing narrative surrounding the beer brand.

As the company grapples with a controversial marketing campaign and declining sales, Gates’ calculated bet on its future raises questions about his vision and the potential for a Bud Light resurgence in the conservative-leaning beverage market.

My guess, based on what I know of the conservative market, is that Gate’s investment will not improve the brands image in the eyes of regular beer drinkers.