Bud Light, a famous beer company, has faced a massive sales decline after its most recent advertisement.
The ad featured 26-year-old Dylan Mulvaney, a social media influencer who has 10.8 million followers on TikTok and 1.8 million on Instagram. Mulvaney started receiving a notable spotlight with “365 Days of Girlhood,” where the transgender TikTok star began documenting each day of being a woman.
In the ad, Mulvaney carries five Bud Light beer cans and talks to the camera about not knowing what March Madness is or what sport is known for March Madness. Mulvany then shares about celebrating the “365 Days of Girlhood” and shows the gifted tallboy can featuring Mulvany’s face that the company gifted Mulvany to help celebrate.
Alissa Heinerscheid, Bud Light’s marketing manager, created the ad to “shift the tone” of the brand by making it more inclusive.
The ad did not land well among Bud Light’s audience, mainly comprised of sports fans, and in-store sales of Bud Light have dropped 23%, compared to their numbers this time last year. Additionally, sales have dropped 17% since the ad was released. Many speculate that Bud Light will likely lose its spot as the No.1 beer on the market.
Bump Williams, the market research company chief for Bump Williams Consulting, a firm that deals with the market for alcoholic beverages, said Heinserscheid’s ad flopped because she didn’t research her core consumer demographics enough before releasing the ad. Many faithful Bud Light drinkers deemed her comments as derogatory, insulting, and juvenile. “Bud Light drinkers said, “enough of that,” Williams said. Many former Bud Light drinkers have advocated boycotting the brand.
Bud Light has continued to stand by their ad as part of a larger campaign to attract new customers, however, Brendan Whitworth, company CEO, released a statement on April 14 expressing regret over the division that has resulted from partnering with Mulvaney, and both Heinerscheid and Daniel Blake, another marketing executive, have been on leave since the backlash began. The company has not said when they will return or whether they are on paid leave.
Sales of Coors Light and Miller Lite have increased by 20% from their numbers a year ago, and Keystone Light has increased by 14%.
Edited by Sean Mulryan
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