There’s an old saying I’m confident y’all have heard many times: “if you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.” If Bud had simply stopped making all sorts of statements, some of which were very squishy and didn’t help, their problems might have been over. But, no, still yapping
Bud Light continues to face backlash more than a month after its polarizing pact with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney prompted outrage from conservatives that an industry guru believes was one of the biggest social media misfires of all time.
The saga began when Mulvaney publicized that the beer company sent packs of Bud Light featuring the influencer’s face as a way to celebrate a full year of “girlhood.” Mulvaney said the cans were her “most prized possession” on Instagram with a post that featured “#budlightpartner.” The backlash was swift and parent company Anheuser-Busch has been faced with plummeting sales as a result, losing some $5 billion in market value.
“In my career, and from what I’ve seen, this is by far been one of the most polarizing instances within the social media space,” Viral Nation marketing strategist Emma Ferrara told Fox News Digital.
One question I do not see answered is how the other AB brands are doing. Are people not buying regular Bud, Michelob brands, Bush, etc, or have they escaped the boycott?
“When you’re looking to connect with a new community, which I think is incredibly important, I think there is a right and wrong way to approach that. And it starts with understanding who your core audience is,” she said. “It starts with also understanding who is your brand and what are your values and what’s your purpose.”
There’s nothing wrong with trying to extend your brand, but, you do not want to piss off your core audience. And the thing with certifiable Mulvaney was stupid. It pissed off women, who Mulvaney is demeaning, then the marketing boss demeaned the core audience. Maybe if AB had did this with a gender confused who actually put in the work to sorta look like and act like a real woman, it wouldn’t have been that bad.
Things have gotten so ugly that Anheuser-Busch’s CEO Michel Doukeris addressed the ordeal on an earnings call with investors on Thursday. He downplayed the brand’s partnership, and insisted there is “misinformation” spreading on social media about the company’s team-up with Mulvaney.
“We need to clarify the facts that this was one can, one influencer, one post and not a campaign,” Doukeris said, noting that the company has provided “direct financial support” to the frontline workers impacted by the boycott, naming delivery drivers, sales representatives, wholesalers, bar owners and servers.
This is where you stop digging. We all know it was just one can. It was provided, however, to a wackjob who needs competent mental health treatment who is demeaning real women.
During Thursday’s call, Doukeris said it was too early to tell how the boycott affected Bud Light sales but was bullish that Anheuser-Busch will quickly recover from any setback. He reminded investors that the company has navigated global challenges including temporary bans on beer sales in certain countries and shutdowns of bars and restaurants across the globe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
And the more he talks the more people can and will turn to other brands.
Read: Bud Light CEO Whines About “Misinformation” As Brand Still Tanking »