Modelo Especial beer sorted in Brooklyn District, New York, USA on Tuesday, November 23, 2021.
Gabby Jones Bloomberg | Getty Images
Bud Light lost its No. 1 spot in the U.S. beer market last month after the brand’s sales slumped after conservative turmoil over its partnership with transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
constellation brandModelo led the market with 8.4% of retail beer sales in the four weeks ending June 3, according to Nielsen IQ data from consulting firm Bump Williams. Bud Light followed with a 7.3% share.
Data showed that Bud Light’s sales were down 24.6% year-on-year, while Modelo’s sales were up 10.2%.
nevertheless, anheuser busch inbev According to Bump Williams, the brand Bud Light has led U.S. beer sales so far this year.
The blow to AB InBev’s business marks one of the few examples in recent years of an online backlash leading to a significant and sustained downturn for a major brand. The company’s stock has fallen nearly 15% since early April, when Mulvaney posted a video of personalized Bud Light cans, sparking anti-LGBTQ+ outrage.
In response to the furor, the company did not intend to defend Mulvaney’s promotion, nor did the hesitation anger some transgender rights advocates or appease conservatives who oppose the marketing.
Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth said: “We never intended to be part of an argument that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer.” rice field. April statement.
The boycott of Bud Light comes at a time when state and federal politicians are increasingly pushing to restore the rights of transgender people. Hundreds of state laws have targeted trans-Americans in recent months, placing an additional burden on members of already marginalized groups.
Embracing and marketing to trans-Americans and the broader LGBTQ+ population has become commonplace among major companies in recent years. But the increasingly aggressive response to these campaigns appears to have been contained, at least in some cases.
the goal The company recently discontinued some of its Pride Month products following a separate incident in which a customer threatened an employee over a Pride product. and the union that represents Starbucks Baristas claimed this week that employees at dozens of stores were not allowed to wear Pride decorations.
A spokesperson for Target said last month that the company has “experienced threats that affect the safety and well-being of team members at work” and that an unspecified “item has been at the center of the most significant conflicts”. said to be removed.
The spokesperson added that Target is committed to “advancing our ongoing commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community and walking with them throughout Pride Month and the year.”
Starbucks said in a statement that it has not changed its decor policy and encourages stores to celebrate Pride Month.