New details have emerged regarding the controversial partnership between Anheuser-Busch’s Bud Light and transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, shedding light on the company’s alleged internal response to the situation.
Sources close to the matter claim that “no one at the senior level” of the company was aware of the polarizing partnership.
Anheuser-Busch is reportedly pausing its marketing efforts and scrambling to implement a more “robust” process for evaluating future influencer partnerships.
These claims contradict the company’s vice president of marketing’s recent push for inclusivity and the company’s statement confirming the partnership.
The controversy began when Mulvaney, a biological male who identifies as a woman, announced on Instagram that Bud Light had sent a can featuring his face as a gift.
The post included the hashtag #budlightpartner, prompting questions about the authenticity of the partnership, as Bud Light’s official social media pages and press page made no mention of it.
Conservative activist Rogan O’Handley, known as DC Draino on Twitter, claimed that sources inside the company informed him that C-level executives were angered by the marketing engagement with Mulvaney.
Former Newsmax host John Cardillo wrote on Twitter that it appeared those same executives did not approve the Mulvaney campaign.
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The Daily Wire spoke with two sources close to the situation who also claim that no one at the “senior level” of the company approved the decision to include Mulvaney in an advertising campaign targeting younger consumers.
One anonymous source said, “Some low-level marketing staffer who helps manage the hundreds of influencer engagements they do must have thought it was no big deal.”
The source emphasized that Anheuser-Busch had a reputation for being “America’s beer” and not a political company, calling the partnership a mistake.
Another source also claimed that a lower-level employee had made the decision to include Mulvaney in the campaign, which has cost the company $6 billion in market value.
The backlash against the iconic American beer brand has been so severe that a Budweiser distributor in Missouri canceled an event featuring the company’s famous Clydesdale horses because the situation was “still sensitive.”
The second source informed The Daily Wire that the company would likely implement a more “robust” process for evaluating controversial figures in the future to avoid another public relations disaster.
These claims follow statements from Anheuser-Busch’s vice president of communications, Jennifer Morris, and Bud Light’s vice president of marketing, Alissa Heinerscheid, both of whom have championed inclusivity within the company.
Morris said at an industry event in 2021 that she felt it was important to “leverage our scale and resources to further conversations around DE&I [Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion] and help consumers understand the difference they can make as individuals.”
Heinerscheid expressed her desire to “evolve and elevate this incredibly iconic brand” and focus on “inclusivity” because she believed it was “in decline.”
She emphasized the importance of attracting young drinkers and having a campaign that appeals to both men and women.
Heinerscheid also stated that Bud Light had been “kind of a brand of fratty, kind of out-of-touch humor,” and it was crucial to take a different approach.
However, the New York Post recently published photos of her enjoying a “fratty party.”
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According to Open Secrets, Anheuser-Busch employees donated significantly more money to Republican and conservative organizations than to Democratic or leftist organizations.
The company generally donates to both Republican and Democratic PACs, indicating that they do not want to get involved in choosing sides and would rather maintain good relations with everyone.
In the 2022 cycle, the company’s contributions favored Republicans.
Anheuser-Busch has faced protests from the political Left in the past for donating to lawmakers who have pushed legislation that the far-left claims “discriminate[s] against transgender youths,” according to USA Today.
The company’s recent partnership with Mulvaney has added fuel to the fire, with conservative-leaning customers expressing their dissatisfaction with the collaboration.
The backlash against the Bud Light-Mulvaney partnership has led to a significant decline in the brand’s sales across several states.
As reported by The Federalist Papers Project, bars across the country have seen customers avoid Bud Light.
In a Missouri bar, sales of Bud Light and other Anheuser-Busch beverages have reportedly dropped by roughly 40 percent.
A bar in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, which has a high population of LGBTQ+ individuals, has seen Bud Light sales drop by 70 percent.
The fallout from the partnership has also affected Anheuser-Busch distributors throughout America’s heartland and the South, who are reportedly being “spooked” by the public backlash against the Dylan Mulvaney campaign.
These events highlight the delicate balance companies like Anheuser-Busch must maintain when engaging in marketing and advertising efforts, especially when partnering with influencers who may polarize their audience.
As the company scrambles to mitigate the damage caused by the controversial partnership, it is essential for Anheuser-Busch to evaluate its influencer selection process and ensure that its future marketing efforts align with the brand’s core values and target audience.
While the push for inclusivity and diversity is essential, companies must also carefully consider the potential impact on their public image and sales.
In summary, Anheuser-Busch’s recent partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney has resulted in a significant backlash, prompting the company to pause its marketing efforts and reassess its influencer selection process.
The controversy serves as a cautionary tale for companies seeking to engage in marketing campaigns that may polarize their audience, emphasizing the importance of carefully evaluating potential partnerships and their alignment with a brand’s values and target demographic.