The fallout from Bud Light’s unforced error in partnering with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney is continuing unabated, and frankly, it appears as though the brand may never fully recover.
According to BeerBoard, a technology firm that supplies data to the beverage sector, Bud Light has experienced a notable reduction in its sales at eateries and bars throughout the United States, The Daily Wire reports.
Axios added that around 3,000 establishments utilizing BeerBoard’s technology recorded a 6% decline in sales of Bud Light between April 2nd and April 15th, following calls for boycotts against the beer company.
The collaboration between Bud Light and Mulvaney commenced on April 1st but quickly produced negative results as several prominent conservatives expressed their intention to boycott the brand.
Data from NielsenIQ and Bump Williams Consulting indicates that in the week following the announcement, Bud Light’s sales plummeted by 11%, and the subsequent week witnessed a more significant decline, with sales dropping by 21% in volume.
As per The Wall Street Journal, Daniel Blake, who is responsible for marketing Anheuser-Busch’s mainstream brands, has been placed on leave in connection to the incident. He is the boss of Alissa Heinerscheid, Bud Light’s vice president of marketing, was placed on leave last week as well, The Daily Wire said.
“Given the circumstances, Alissa has decided to take a leave of absence which we support,” an Anheuser-Busch spokeswoman said in an email. “Daniel has also decided to take a leave of absence.”
According to sources familiar with the matter, their decision to take a leave of absence was not voluntary.
Anheuser-Busch is making internal adjustments within its marketing department to ensure that “senior staff are fully connected to decisions about brand activities,” the WSJ report said.
“These steps will help us maintain focus on the things we do best: brewing great beer for all consumers, while always making a positive impact in our communities and on our country,” the company said.
Following the controversy that arose with Mulvaney, a video surfaced of remarks made by Heinerscheid during a recent podcast during which she expressed her desire to change Bud Light’s image.
“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 really 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 said, adding she had a “super clear” mandate “to evolve and elevate this incredibly iconic brand.”
She said her objective was to incorporate “inclusivity, it means shifting the tone, it means having a campaign that’s truly inclusive, and feels lighter and brighter and different, and appeals to women and to men.”
