The CEO of Anheuser-Busch, the parent company of Bud Light, in the United States, has spoken up to acknowledge the controversy surrounding the company’s marketing collaboration with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. The situation escalated with unexpected twists, including musician Kid Rock posting a video of him shooting at cases of Bud Light, and country singers John Rich and Travis Tritt publicly expressing their disapproval of the brand.
But there has also been a counter-reaction, with Howard Stern criticizing the outrage towards Bud Light, and podcaster Joe Rogan dismissing the backlash against Mulvaney as “goofy.”
Anheuser-Busch had stayed silent since the controversy unfolded on April 1, despite conservative Bud Light supporters raising concerns about Mulvaney’s selection as a promoter for the popular beer brand on her TikTok channel, which she had created to document her gender transition. But now, the company has finally addressed the situation, insisting it will continue to work tirelessly to bring great beers to consumers across the nation.
CEO Brenden Whitworth said in the public statement: ‘We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people, adding: ‘We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer.’
The CEO, who has a background as a former Marine lieutenant, & CIA officer, did not specifically mention the Mulvaney partnership, stating: ‘I am responsible for ensuring every consumer feels proud of the beer we brew.’ He continued: ‘My time serving this country taught me the importance of accountability and the values upon which America was founded: freedom, hard work, and respect for one another.’
‘As CEO of Anheuser-Busch, I am focused on building and protecting our remarkable history and heritage.’
Whitworth also claimed: ‘I care deeply about this country, this company, our brands and our partners. I spend much of my time traveling across America, listening to and learning from our customers, distributors and others. Moving forward, I will continue to work tirelessly to bring great beers to consumers across our nation.’ As the controversy gained momentum, both Bud Light and Anheuser-Busch’s social media accounts remained inactive, even during sporting events that the brand engages with.
On Friday, political communications consultant Frank Luntz expressed his concerns about the company’s strategy in an interview.
He told DailyMail: ‘In the age of social media, corporate silence is admitting guilt. You won’t be forgiven for a mistake without an explanation or at least proper context.’ Luntz added, “If you celebrate or associate with extreme people, be prepared for a backlash from mainstream people.’ In contrast, crisis communications expert Gerard Braud suggested that Anheuser-Busch’s decision to remain silent on social media could be a prudent approach in this situation.
Braud pointed out that social media algorithms often amplify crises, and therefore staying quiet might be a strategic move for the company. He also told MailOnline: ‘Any post by Budweiser at this point will only trigger an onslaught of comments positive and negative, which only reminds the audience that a controversy is underway.’ Braud emphasized he recommends conducting focus groups with clients before launching any new initiatives that could potentially upset their core customer base.
Before Mulvaney announced the partnership, Alissa Heinerscheid, the vice president of marketing for Bud Light, had in a recent podcast expressed her desire to shift the brand away from its “fratty” image,
Alissa shared: ‘I’m a businesswoman, I had a really clear job to do when I took over Bud Light, and it was ‘This brand is in decline, it’s been in a decline for a long time, and if we do not attract young drinkers to come and drink this brand, there will be no future for Bud Light.’ She criticized the company’s past branding strategies, saying: ‘We had this hangover, I mean Bud Light had been kind of a brand of fratty, kind of out-of-touch humor, and it was really important that we had another approach.’
The decision to collaborate with Mulvaney left many analysts perplexed, as they found it difficult to understand the rationale behind the partnership.
‘I simply don’t understand why they hired the person who was doing the marketing,’ said Ted Jenkin, CEO of Oxygen Financial. He told Fox News Digital: ‘I mean if your target customer is Kid Rock, and then all of a sudden you decide to go to RuPaul, that just doesn’t make any sense at all.” However, prior to the new statement, Anheuser-Busch had only confirmed that Bud Light cans featuring Mulvaney’s face were a personal gift and not available for public sale
The company had written: ‘Anheuser-Busch works with hundreds of influencers across our brands as one of many ways to authentically connect with audiences across various demographics. From time to time, we produce unique commemorative cans for fans and for brand influencers, like Dylan Mulvaney. This commemorative can was a gift to celebrate a personal milestone and is not for sale to the general public.’
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