Bud Light’s parent company Anheuser-Busch released a statement on Friday trying to repair its damaged relationship with its American customers.
The once-popular beer lost its place after company executives partnered with controversial transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney for a marketing stunt. Customers, especially those in the conservative base, reacted negatively to the stunt leading to a boycott of America’s once-favorite beer.
Looks like Anheuser-Busch is going to have to continue to take it like a man, or rather girl, as Dylan Mulvaney likes to think of himself.
Anheuser-Busch Releases ‘We Hear You’ Statement Over Bud Light Backlash: ‘Beer Is For Everyone’ https://t.co/bdW6m91xys
— Rob (@Robbopaloobop) June 18, 2023
Recent numbers with Anheuser-Busch showed that the boycott led to a more than 25% drop in Bud Light sales. Other Anheuser-Busch brands, such as Budweiser Michelob Ultra, Busch Light, and Natural Light, have all seen declining sales.
According to The Daily Wire, Brendan Whitworth —Anheuser-Busch CEO— released a statement on Friday that acknowledged the backlash’s effect.
“We recognize that over the last two months, the discussion surrounding our company and Bud Light has moved away from beer, and this has impacted our consumers, our business partners, and our employees,” the statement began. “We are a beer company, and beer is for everyone.”
Whitworth’s statement did not include any apology for the Dylan Mulvaney debacle.
The top executive told customers that the company is taking steps to take its business forward. Whitworth revealed that the company will invest to protect the jobs of our frontline employees.
“We hear you. Our summer advertising launches next week, and you can look forward to Bud Light reinforcing what you’ve always loved about our brand – that it’s easy to drink and easy to enjoy,” he said. “As we move forward, we will focus on what we do best – brewing great beer and earning our place in moments that matter to you.”
Whitworth told customers that the company would provide financial assistance to the beer brand’s independent wholesalers to support their employees.
According to a CNN report, some of the company’s distributors will get up to 50 cents back per case. The level of financial assistance will depend on the severity of sales deep. The company’s financial assistance proposal came as a relief for a group of distributors who said they appreciated the company’s support.
“The support Anheuser-Busch announced today will help enable all of us to continue making a positive impact as we work tirelessly to bring our great beers to local bars, restaurants, and stores across this country. We are united and fully committed to moving forward together,” the group said in a letter obtained by CNN.
