Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth committed to supporting the LGBT community and to listening to the wants and needs of the brewery's consumers on Wednesday.
"The conversation surrounding Bud Light has moved away from beer," Whitworth told the crew of CBS Mornings. "That conversation has become divisive, and Bud Light really doesn't belong there. Bud Light should be all about bringing people together, and there's been an impact on the business."
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Whitworth's remarks come after months of Anheuser-Busch enduring financial and societal beating after gifting transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney a custom beer can in a promotion to celebrate Mulvaney's "365 days of girlhood."
In response to recent controversy, @AnheuserBusch CEO Brendan Whitworth tells CBS Mornings that his company will continue to support the LGBTQ community.
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) June 28, 2023
He did not directly answer the questions of whether the promotional campaign with a transgender influencer was a mistake. pic.twitter.com/19PXJQkoem
The brewery has lost millions, and its reputation has suffered what many consider irrevocable damage.
"For us, as we look to the future, as we look to moving forward, we have to understand the impact that it's had," Whitworth said. "It's the impact on our employees, the impact on consumers, and the impact on our partners."
"One thing I'd like to make extremely clear is that impact is my responsibility, and, as the CEO, everything we do here, I'm accountable for."
When asked if he would allow Bud Light to gift Mulvaney the can again if the brewery had a second chance, Whitworth did not give a definitive "yes" or "no."
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"What we need to understand, deeply understand and appreciate, is the consumer and what they want, what they care about, and what they expect from big brands," he said.
"Bud Light has supported LGBTQ since 1998," he added. "So that's 25 years, and as we've said from the beginning, we'll continue to support the communities and organizations we've supported for decades, but as we move forward, we want to focus on what we do best, which is brewing great beer for everyone, listening to our consumers, being humble in listening to them, making sure that we do right by our employees, take care and support our partners, and, ultimately, make an impact in the communities that we serve."