Bud Light has been embroiled in backlash since a beer promotion with a transgender influencer. Here's a timeline of how the controversy has played out.

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Grace MayerJun 19, 2023, 20:25 IST
Bud Light has been embroiled in backlash since a beer promotion with a transgender influencer. Here's a timeline of how the controversy has played out.

Anheuser-Busch is giving out free beer to its distributors' employees to make up for backlash from a promotion featuring transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press and Rob Kim/Getty Images

  • Bud Light has been embroiled in a wave of conservative backlash over the last two months.
  • The backlash followed after Bud Light partnered with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney in a promotion.

Over the last two months, Bud Light has been embroiled in anti-LGBTQ+ criticism and calls for a boycott of the beer brand, ever since it partnered with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney on a beer promotion.

Since April 1, when Mulvaney posted a video about the promotion, fallout from the backlash has plagued the brand: Bud Light executives have been placed on leave; employees and distributors have reported incidents of harassment from customers and lost sales; and the anti-LGBTQ+ backlash has spread to other brands.

Here's a timeline on how the backlash started, and how anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments have impacted other major retailers, including Target and The North Face.

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In April, social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney, who is transgender, posted a video on her Instagram featuring Bud Light beer.

In April, social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney, who is transgender, posted a video on her Instagram featuring Bud Light beer.
Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender influencer, right.Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press and Rob Kim/Getty Images

In the video, Mulvaney, 26, talked about a March Madness contest sponsored by Bud Light, and how she was celebrating her "day 365 of womanhood." She said the beer cans, including one which featured a custom design of her face, had been sent to her from the brand to celebrate her one year of transitioning.

Mulvaney is a social media influencer with over 12 million followers across her TikTok and Instagram. She gained a significant following after she began documenting her transition on her platforms, which she started doing now over a year ago.

Mulvaney is a social media influencer with over 12 million followers across her TikTok and Instagram. She gained a significant following after she began documenting her transition on her platforms, which she started doing now over a year ago.
Cindy Ord/Getty Images

After Mulvaney posted the video featuring Bud Light, both Mulvaney and the beer brand were promptly met with a wave of anti-trans backlash.

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Calls for a boycott on Bud Light spread across social media. In social media posts, many conservatives expressed anger that the brand partnered with Mulvaney.

Calls for a boycott on Bud Light spread across social media. In social media posts, many conservatives expressed anger that the brand partnered with Mulvaney.
Ben Shapiro in 2018.Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Prominent figures, including commentator Ben Shapiro and Donald Trump Jr., commented on the Mulvaney partnership, with the latter calling for an end to the boycott. Conservative singer Kid Rock posted a video on his Instagram where he is shown shooting a gun at cases of Bud Light beer.

Source: Insider, Insider

As tensions escalated on social media, Anheuser-Busch, which owns Bud Light, commented on the partnership with Mulvaney in a statement to BuzzFeed News.

As tensions escalated on social media, Anheuser-Busch, which owns Bud Light, commented on the partnership with Mulvaney in a statement to BuzzFeed News.
The logo of Anheuser-Busch InBev, which owns Bud Light.Thomson Reuters

"Anheuser-Busch works with hundreds of influencers across our brands as one of many ways to authentically connect with audiences across various demographics and passion points," an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson told BuzzFeed News on April 4.

"From time to time, we produce unique commemorative cans for fans and for brand influencers, like Dylan Mulvaney," the statement from Anheuser-Busch read. "This commemorative can was a gift to celebrate a personal milestone and is not for sale to the general public."

Source: Insider

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A previous partnership Mulvaney did with Nike also became embroiled in backlash on social media.

A previous partnership Mulvaney did with Nike also became embroiled in backlash on social media.
A Nike logo.SOPA Images / Contributor

A pinned comment on Nike's Instagram said, "Hate speech, bullying, or other behaviors that are not in the spirit of a diverse and inclusive community will be deleted."

As the backlash unfolded, Mulvaney remained relatively quiet about the matter on her social media platforms.

As the backlash unfolded, Mulvaney remained relatively quiet about the matter on her social media platforms.
Dylan Mulvaney attends the 2023 Grammy Awards.Lester Cohen/Getty Images

On April 7, Mulvaney posted a video on Instagram of her singing on "No One is Alone," with a caption that read: "This song felt fitting for the week I've been having. All is well!"

Then on April 11, Mulvaney spoke out about the criticism she received on the podcast "Onward with Rosie O'Donnell."

"I think it comes back to the fact that these people, they don't understand me, and anything that I do or say somehow gets taken out of context and is used against me," Mulvaney said.

"It's so sad because everything I try to put out is positive." Mulvaney said. "It's trying to connect with others that maybe don't understand me. It's to make people laugh, or to make a kid feel seen."

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Two weeks after the backlash ensued, Anheuser-Busch's US CEO Brendan Whitworth released a statement, which indirectly referred to the Mulvaney-Bud Light partnership.

Two weeks after the backlash ensued, Anheuser-Busch's US CEO Brendan Whitworth released a statement, which indirectly referred to the Mulvaney-Bud Light partnership.
AP Photo/Gene J.Puskar

"We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer," the statement read.

By the end of April, the marketing executive behind the Bud Light partnership with Mulvaney took a leave of absence.

By the end of April, the marketing executive behind the Bud Light partnership with Mulvaney took a leave of absence.
Associated Press

The executive, Alissa Heinerscheid, was replaced by the global vice president of Budweiser, Todd Allen.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the vice president of marketing for Anheuser-Busch's mainstream brands, Daniel Blake, was also taking a leave of absence.

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But the beer brand incurred some damage: Bud Light sales took a hit.

But the beer brand incurred some damage: Bud Light sales took a hit.
While Bud Light sales dropped, competitors Coors Light and Miller Light saw their own sales climb.Craig Barritt/Getty Images for MAC Presents

Sales of the beer product in the US dipped 17% by mid-April, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing data from Bump Williams Consulting that was analyzed by Nielsen. In that same period, competitors Coors Light and Miller Light saw their own sales jump nearly 18% in the same week, the Journal reported.

Globally, Anheuser-Busch's global sales dropped 1%, Anheuser-Busch's global CEO Michel Doukeris said in a May earnings call.

Globally, Anheuser-Busch's global sales dropped 1%, Anheuser-Busch's global CEO Michel Doukeris said in a May earnings call.
Anheuser Busch's Budweiser and Bud Light Beer on display at a Wal-Mart store in ChicagoReuters

Doukeris sought to downplay the Bud Light controversy saying: "This was one can, one influencer, one post, and not a campaign." Doukeris reiterated the point twice on the call.

On the call, Doukeris clarified that Mulvaney's custom beer can was not made for production or sale to the general public, and the promotion was one post, rather than a formal campaign or advertisement.

Source: Insider

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In a TikTok posted at the end of April, Mulvaney, who hadn't publicly spoken out about the Bud Light controversy since her podcast appearance, spoke about how she'd been offline for a few weeks.

In a TikTok posted at the end of April, Mulvaney, who hadn't publicly spoken out about the Bud Light controversy since her podcast appearance, spoke about how she'd been offline for a few weeks.
Influencer Dylan Mulvaney at the "Reboot" premiere on September 19, 2022.JC Olivera/Stringer/Getty Images

She indirectly referred to the backlash she faced following the Bud Light promotion, telling her followers, "I think it's okay to be frustrated with someone or confused, but what I'm struggling to understand is the need to dehumanize and to be cruel."

The fallout from the promotion extended to Bud Light's distributors. Bud Light has been trying to alleviate the damage it faced from the boycott since then.

The fallout from the promotion extended to Bud Light's distributors. Bud Light has been trying to alleviate the damage it faced from the boycott since then.
A semi-truck without side underride guards is seen at Interstate 95 highway in Maryland, United States, on October 21, 2022.Beata Zawrzel/Getty Images

The brand said it would give out free cases of beer to the employees of its distributors. Some employees who spoke with The Wall Street Journal in May said they experienced declines in sales and harassment from angry customers.

Bud Light is still trying to smooth over distributor relations. At the end of May, Bud Light announced it would buy back beer from its distributors that expired and didn't sell following the Bud Light boycott, The Wall Street Journal reported.

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LGBTQ+ advocates have also expressed frustration with the Bud Light brand for its response to the backlash. The Human Rights Campaign, the country's largest LGBTQ+ advocacy group, removed Anheuser-Busch's "Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality" designation.

LGBTQ+ advocates have also expressed frustration with the Bud Light brand for its response to the backlash. The Human Rights Campaign, the country's largest LGBTQ+ advocacy group, removed Anheuser-Busch's "Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality" designation.
Facebook/Human Rights Campaign

The year before, the advocacy appointed Anheuser-Busch its highest equality rating — a score that weighs a company's corporate policies, practices, and benefits for its LGBTQ+ employees.

In response, an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson told Insider that the company remains "committed to the programs and partnerships we have forged over decades with organizations to drive economic prosperity across a number of communities, including those in the LGBTQ+ community."

Source: Insider

The anti-trans backlash Bud Light faced has spread to other brands. After Target released its 2023 Pride collection in May, critics were incensed by "tuck friendly" swimsuits designed for transgender women and other products. Some called for Target stores to get "the Bud Light treatment."

The anti-trans backlash Bud Light faced has spread to other brands. After Target released its 2023 Pride collection in May, critics were incensed by "tuck friendly" swimsuits designed for transgender women and other products. Some called for Target stores to get "the Bud Light treatment."
Dominick Reuter/Insider

At the time, Target told Insider it was pulling some items from the collection because staff had "experienced threats impacting our team members' sense of safety and wellbeing while at work."

"Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior," a Target spokesperson said in a statement for Insider.

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As Pride month kicked off at the start of June, brands were bracing for similar anti-LGBTQ+ backlash. Some stood their ground when faced with anti-LGBTQ backlash, including The North Face.

As Pride month kicked off at the start of June, brands were bracing for similar anti-LGBTQ+ backlash. Some stood their ground when faced with anti-LGBTQ backlash, including The North Face.
Gary Hershorn/Getty Images

The outdoor apparel brand faced calls for a boycott for its "Summer of Pride" campaign, which featured drag queen Pattie Gonia. But the brand stood by its campaign.

But some experts say the backlash is working. As Target and Bud Light faced backlash from conservatives, both brands expressed concern for their employees' safety and rolled-back their LGBTQ+ efforts.

But some experts say the backlash is working. As Target and Bud Light faced backlash from conservatives, both brands expressed concern for their employees' safety and rolled-back their LGBTQ+ efforts.
A Pride month display at a Target in Wisconsin.Dominick Reuter/Insider

But this wavering LGBTQ+ support could lead to greater reputational problems for brands, Vanitha Swaminathan, the director of the Katz Center for Branding at the University of Pittsburgh's business school, previously told Insider.

"Problems arise when brands do things inconsistently. When they seem to take a stance and then back away from that, it seems to be that consumers think that that's very gimmicky and they don't forgive a brand for doing that," Swaminathan told Insider. "We call this corporate hypocrisy."

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The dip in sales Bud Light has faced from the backlash could also persist, analysts from JPMorgan predicted. The analysts reported that some consumers may not drink Bud Light "for the foreseeable future," potentially putting a dent in sales in years to come.

The dip in sales Bud Light has faced from the backlash could also persist, analysts from JPMorgan predicted. The analysts reported that some consumers may not drink Bud Light "for the foreseeable future," potentially putting a dent in sales in years to come.
Hollis Johnson/Business Insider

Even if the beer brand experienced some improvement to sales in the coming months, the analysis predicted Anheuser-Busch's US sales volume could drop 12% to 13% on an annual basis.

Since that Instagram post in April, the backlash against Bud Light hasn't died down. Country singer Garth Brooks recently found himself at the center of a Bud Light boycott.

Since that Instagram post in April, the backlash against Bud Light hasn't died down. Country singer Garth Brooks recently found himself at the center of a Bud Light boycott.
Garth Brooks found himself at the center of a Bud Light boycott.Theo Wargo/Getty Images

The singer announced he would sell "every brand of beer" — including Bud Light — at his new Nashville bar.

"I want it to be a place you feel safe in, I want it to be a place where you feel like there are manners and people like one another," Brooks told Billboard in an interview. "And yes, we're going to serve every brand of beer. We just are. It's not our decision to make. Our thing is this: if you [are let] into this house, love one another. If you're an asshole, there are plenty of other places on lower Broadway."

Source: Insider

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And a decline in Bud Light sales has persisted.

And a decline in Bud Light sales has persisted.
In May, Modelo Especial beer surpassed Bud Light as the best-selling beer brand in the US.Reuters

Last month, the Bud Light beer brand ceded its title as the best-selling beer brand in the US to Modelo Especial beer, after Bud Light sales dropped by 23% in May, according to data compiled by consumer-behavior research firm Circana that was previously shared with Insider.

Following Bud Light losing this title, Anheuser-Busch's US CEO recently outlined steps the brand is taking to alleviate fallout from the months-long backlash Bud Light has experienced.

Following Bud Light losing this title, Anheuser-Busch's US CEO recently outlined steps the brand is taking to alleviate fallout from the months-long backlash Bud Light has experienced.
Gene J. Puskar/AP

The US CEO Brendan Whitworth wrote in a statement: "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."

To alleviate the impacts employees and business partners have faced, Whitworth said the company will provide financial assistance to the beer brand's independent wholesalers that would support their employees.

And future advertising for the beer brand will get back to "what you've always loved" about Bud Light, Whitworth said.

Source: Insider

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