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AB In Bev said its growth had been “limited” following a major boycott of its beers following a controversy with a transgender model.
The world’s largest brewer said the number of drinks sold fell 1.7 percent in 2023 after American buyers turned their backs on its Bud Light beer.
Sales in North America took a 15.3 percent hit after transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney posted a Bud Light ad on Instagram.
Mulvaney had been sent a personalized can as part of a promotional campaign.
While dressed as Holly Golightly from the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Mulvaney said she was celebrating “365th day of womanhood” after transitioning.
Boycott: AB InBev said the number of drinks sold fell 1.7% in 2023 after US buyers turned their backs on its Bud Light beer.
This led right-wing groups to call for a boycott of the brand, accusing AB Inbev of “corporate wakeism”.
For decades, Bud Light had been the beer of choice for ordinary Americans, selling it primarily to suburban families and blue-collar workers.
But marketing chiefs’ attempt to renew its appeal and attract younger, more diverse customers failed.
Bud Light lost its place as the best-selling beer in the United States and was replaced by the Mexican beer Modelo Especial, also made by AB Inbev.
Former presidential candidate and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was an outspoken critic and country singer Kid Rock even filmed himself shooting three cases of beer with a submachine gun, while wearing a “Make America Great Again” cap and yelling profanities. to beer.
And the LGBTQ+ community felt the brewer had failed to defend Mulvaney and transgender people against hate.
This led to some gay bars also boycotting AB Inbev’s beer and other brands such as Stella Artois.
For some Americans, “let’s give them the Bud Light treatment” has become shorthand for starting boycotts of companies over “woke” policies or inclusive marketing.