“Bud Light Struggles After Ill-Fated Partnership with Transgender TikTok Star Dylan Mulvaney: Sales Remain Stagnant, Loyalty Falters”
Bud Light, once the top-selling beer in America, continues to face challenges following its controversial collaboration with transgender TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney. Sales have remained stagnant, hovering around 30% below last year’s levels, according to Beer Business Daily publisher Harry Schuhmacher.
Schuhmacher’s observations reflect the disappointing news that Bud Light has only managed to win back 15% of boycotting consumers. The brand has fallen behind Modelo in rankings and is experiencing significant declines, with a 26.9% drop in revenue and a 30.3% decrease in volume, as reported by a study conducted by Bump Williams Consulting. Experts predict that Bud Light will continue to face year-over-year declines until at least April and May of 2024 when the controversy is expected to fade.
The industry had anticipated a quicker recovery, but the situation has worsened. Bud Light not only faces lost sales but also systemic issues within the industry and diminishing confidence among retailers. Schuhmacher emphasizes that the upcoming summer will be a critical period for assessing the brand’s long-term success as it strives to regain its once-loyal following. However, Bud Light faces a challenging winter ahead, with its only hope lying in the strong relationships it maintains with wholesalers.
Schuhmacher notes that wholesalers have limited power to rectify the situation, aside from staying actively engaged in their local communities, which they have been doing consistently. These local connections serve as the brand’s sole source of hope. The unprecedented decline has left industry experts astonished.
The controversy erupted when Anheuser-Busch InBev commemorated Mulvaney’s 365th day of girlhood with a personalized beer can featuring her face as part of a March Madness partnership. This move sparked immediate criticism, including from Kid Rock, who protested by filming himself shooting Bud Light cans. Mulvaney, a former theater actor and influential TikTok star, spoke out against the intense transphobia and hate she encountered, calling for public support of transgender individuals and expressing her desire to enjoy a beer.
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