Bud Light tries to distance itself from culture wars after Dylan Mulvaney fiasco as it announces $3 million in scholarships for families of America’s fallen

• Bud Light’s parent company Anheuser-Busch is providing the scholarships alongside Folds of Honor, its longest-standing charity partner of over 100 years
• The popularity of the beer plummeted and sales dropped 30 percent after conservative consumers boycotted the drink over its Mulvaney partnership

Bud Light has announced a $3 million scholarship project for families of America’s fallen or disabled first responders – potentially as part of an effort to distance itself from culture wars after the Dylan Mulvaney partnership fiasco.

The beleaguered beer brand’s parent company, Anheuser-Busch, is providing the funds for affected spouses and children alongside Folds of Honor, its longest-standing charity partner of over 100 years. 

It comes after the popularity of the beer plummeted and sales dropped 30 percent when conservative consumers boycotted the drink over its partnership with 26-year-old transgender influencer Mulvaney in April.

The beer giant’s PR disaster went from bad to worse when it swiftly broke off the contract with Mulvaney, and former Bud Light employees accused leaders of ‘cowardice’ for failing to support the influencer. 

In what could be seen as a ploy to regain the loyalty of conservative shoppers, Bud Light’s latest marketing campaign supports people disabled in the line of duty, and bereaved relatives of fallen first responders and veterans. 

Bud Light has announced a $3 million scholarship project for families of America’s fallen or disabled first responders – potentially as part of an effort to distance itself from culture wars after the Dylan Mulvaney fiasco. (Picture from 2022 Veterans Day in Washington, DC)

It comes after the popularity of the beer plummeted and sales dropped 30 percent after conservative consumers boycotted the drink over its partnership with 26-year-old transgender influencer Mulvaney (pictured) 

The beer giant’s PR disaster went from bad to worse when it swiftly broke off the contract with Mulvaney, and former Bud Light employees accused leaders of ‘cowardice’ for failing to support the influencer

Applications for the scholarship – which also in partnership with the NFL – are now open and close on November 26. 

Brendan Whitworth, the CEO of Anheuser-Busch, said the brand ‘stands firm’ with veterans and responders. 

‘Anheuser-Busch is incredibly proud to be a founding partner of Folds of Honor, as we continue our 13-year mission to make a powerful impact on the lives of the families of military veterans and first responders,’ he said in a statement. 

‘Together with the NFL, we stand firm in our commitment to supporting our local communities and serving those who serve.’

Todd Allen, VP of Marketing for Bud Light, added: ‘Every second around the country, first responders perform selfless acts of heroism with unwavering commitment to their community and country.

‘That’s why Bud Light is proud to come together with the NFL, and its network of teams and communities nationwide, to support Folds of Honor by recognizing the first responders behind these acts and assisting their families who sacrifice so much.’

An NFL spokesperson also shared their pride to be involved in the mission honoring the ‘dedication and sacrifice of first responders.’ 

Over the last 13 years, Anheuser-Busch, its brands, and wholesaler partners have donated $21.7 million to Folds of Honor’s delivery of over 51,000 scholarships.

The move follows another commercial designed to win back conservative consumers. 

In July, Bud Light released an ad showing a woman eating a watermelon in the middle of a storm, with a reference to a popular meme of a dog sipping coffee as his home goes up in flames.  

The scholarship could be seen as a ploy to regain the loyalty of conservative shoppers, Bud Light’s latest marketing campaign supports people disabled in the line of duty, and bereaved relatives of fallen first responders and veterans

Brendan Whitworth, the CEO of Anheuser-Busch, said the brand ‘stands firm’ with veterans and responders. (Pictured: the 2022 Veterans Day parade in New York) 

Bud Light’s historic decline came after it partnered with transgender influencer Mulvaney for a marketing campaign.

In the controversial promotion, Mulvaney, 26, posted a video on April 1 of herself cracking open a Bud Light on her Instagram page.

She showed off the customized can with her face on it – one of many corporate freebies she gets and promotes to her millions of followers.

Bud Light was accused of alienating their traditional customer base by partnering with Mulvaney, which led many conservatives – including Kid Rock – to boycott the brand.

Conservatives have continued with the boycott, leading to the Belgian based brewer to place two executives responsible for the partnership— Alissa Heinerscheid, the vice president of marketing, and her boss, Daniel Blake — on leave in April.

More than five months after the fiasco, Bud Light’s sales were down 27 percent over a four week period in September against the same time period in 2022.

But last month, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates bought 1.7 million shares of Anheuser-Busch on the back of Wall Street analysts encouraging investors to buy stock in the drinks brand. 

InBev CEO Michel Doukeris said in August during an earnings call that the company plans to provide financial support to U.S. wholesalers through the end of December to make up for lost Bud Light sales.

But he also said internal polling shows that 80 percent of U.S. consumers remain favorable or neutral toward the brand.

‘One, they want to enjoy their beer without a debate. Two, they want Bud Light to focus on beer. Three, they want Bud Light to concentrate on the platforms that all consumers love, such as the NFL and music,’ he said.

‘We are taking the feedback and working hard to earn our consumers’ business.’

Some investors raised concerns about the company’s discounts on Bud Light. In early July, for example, one Michigan grocery was offering a $15 rebate on a 24-pack of Bud Light, which normally sells for $20.99.

But Doukeris said price increases over the last year have put the company in a better position to offer discounts. And he said summer marketing campaigns were planned even before the Bud Light situation.

Source: Read Full Article