If you love to enjoy your weekends and open bottle caps each holiday night then you will be astonished to know that Bud Light which was a famous drink among alcohol lovers has recently been in the news for a controversy after making a sponsorship deal with transgender Dylan Mulvaney. The action surrounding Dylan Mulvaney and Bud Light Beer led to the downfall of the company’s reputation as well as affected the sales of America’s most popular alcoholic beverage brand.
Bud Light Beer: History And Background
Every beverage company has a past, and when talking about Bud Light Beer, the production began in 1982 by Anheuser-Busch who is the parent company. They were formerly popular for their American light beer with a crisp taste.
But coming back to Bud Light Beer, it comes with a low alcohol percentage and is a calorie-deficit drink loved by all Americans. Bud Light Beer has been on the top alcoholic beverages list for many years because it was very popular among the American population.
What happened to Bud Light Beers in 2023 and why?
Dating back to April 2023, Bud Light Beer made a decision that no one knew the results of. The idea was to feature a transgender person to promote their product on various social media platforms in hopes that this decision would make the transgender community feel welcomed. This way, they could enhance their sales and purchase-making decisions among people regarding alcoholic beverages. But instead of what should have happened, something else followed.
The advertisement led to bad comments from viewers that soon resulted in spoiling the 40-year-old brand’s market reputation and leading to permanent damage.
Customers’ response after the Bud light trans beer promotion
Instead of going viral for the right reason, the beer Bud Light campaign surfaced on the internet with discontent customers as they not only left the brand but also revoked the parent company Anheuser-Busch.
What astonished people more than the campaign was the organization’s response to the ongoing controversy.
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Who is Dylan Mulvaney?
TikTokers have become quite famous and Ms. Mulvany is one of them who has a fan following of more than 10 million. Her main viewership and following comes from a series that showcases her online change by the name of ‘Days of Girlhood’.
Following the issue, the LGBTQ+ community was very hurt by the company’s casual response and claimed they were very ‘disturbed’. Even though Senior Vice President of HRC’s Foundation Jay Brown states that the idea was good to gather all genders together, however, the response given by the firm after the backlash was upsetting.
Threats and Stalking faced by Dylan
After the commercial was released on social media platforms, not only Bud Light Beer but also Dylan faced public threats and stalking. She stated in an interview that after the ad she was more prone to public bullying. She even mentions that Bud Light Beer did not even reach out to help her in any way.
Response of Costco Bud Light Beer
You must be aware of Costo which is the third largest retailer in the world dealing with a bunch of membership-only warehouse clubs. They declared to Bud Light customers that their sparking days were about to end.
There are confirmed chances that this time Costo will not restock the beer and remove it from their shelves because it is interwoven in controversy plus is running short on sales.
However, even after all the allegations and disappointments that took place after the sponsorship, Bud Light stands still in the market leaving others to wonder as to how this controversial brand still stays tall.
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How did Bud Light Beer sales go down?
Every brand goes through an up-and-down journey and this time it was Bud Light Beer which faced a sudden downfall. In April 2023, another Bud Light competitor Modelo Especial moved ahead in terms of profit and sales for the very first time in two decades.
Other beer competitors noticed an upsurge in their sales including Molson Coors and their sales generated ample revenue after their long-past merger in 2005. A 13.5% sales decline was reported by Bud Light and a 17% decline in the retail sector.
As a response to this, the company had to cut off some deals with their wholesalers and marketing teams.
What is about to happen next?
In a November 2023 statement, Bud Light Beers announced that it became the ‘official beer partner’ of UFC, but even after all that the sales did not improve or rise. Well-known person Bryan Roth stated that company sales have been very low from the month of May which horrifies the future of Bud Light. Many people think that Bud Light will not be able to recover from the turmoil that they faced and there will be a sad ending for the once-loved American alcoholic beverage drink.
How are other beverage brands working amidst the Bud Light beer sales crisis?
After summing up the whole issue, we arrive at the conclusion that the downfall of Bud Light has benefitted its competitors with their sales rising day by day.
People who were once fans of drinking the Bud Light Beer are now moving away and enjoying other drinks in the market.
Modelo Especial and other brands are constantly using Bud Light’s disadvantages and downfalls to their benefit and trying to upgrade, improve, and enhance their consumer experience.
Conclusion
In the alcoholic beverage industry one mistake can lead to a permanent loss of customers, and talking about the Bud Light Beer sales in 2024, chances are very low that they will return with the same power they had earlier. Back in 1982, Bud Light Beer was a prominent name in the market with constant sales that led to a popular reputation in the industry. Consumers who enjoyed other drinks left those to join the Bud Light drinking community.
But now, because of one single mistake, the situation is turned upside down and people are leaving Bud Light and moving on to other beverages. No wonder what will happen in the upcoming year but the chances are very low for Bud Light and very much high for other brands in the market.
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