Republican lawmakers have slammed brewer Anheuser-Busch for getting into politics because of his partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
Republican Ralph Norman has hit back at the company for its decision to ask Mulvaney, 26, to promote its product.
Norman told Fox News: ‘If there is ever a case for a company to stay clear of this type of issue – they did beer the last time I checked.
“They don’t do politics. If they want to do politics, get into politics. If they believe in it so strongly. I’m surprised it’s only 12%.
Pictured: Republican Ralph Norman who spoke out on the brewer’s decision and said he would never drink the beer again in his life
Mulvany posted the content to coincide with the NCAA March Madness tournament, before joking she didn’t know what sport she was promoting
Norman continued, “There are plenty of former Bud Light consumers who will never drink another Bud Light beer in their lives, including me.”
Republican Mark Alford also told the news site, “Any time companies step in on issues involving culture and revival, it’s a big risk.”
The brewer has come under fire after his stunt with transgender influencer Mulvaney in April prompted a furious response from conservatives.
Mulvaney shared images of herself with a personalized can celebrating a year since her transition and posed with beer cans in a bathtub.
The brand has been accused of meddling in one of the most burning culture war issues around.
Anheuser-Busch CEO Michael Doukaris tried to play down the campaign with Mulvaney.
He said on an earnings call: “We need to get the facts straight that this was a box, an influencer, a message and not a campaign.”
Investors were also told by Doukeris that Bud Light would triple its marketing spend this summer in a bid to bring customers back to the tarnished brand.
Earlier this month, a letter was sent to retailers, bars and restaurants by Gray Eagle – which distributes Anheuser-Busch products around St Louis, Missouri.
He said: “Anheuser-Busch did not intend to create controversy or make a political statement.
“In reality, the Bud Light may be posted by a social media influencer who sparked the entire conversation was provided by an outside agency without the knowledge or approval of Anheuser-Busch management.
“Since then, the lack of oversight and control over marketing decisions has been resolved and a new Vice President of Bud Light Marketing has been announced.”
Mulvaney announced the partnership in a series of videos posted to social media in early April.
Mulvaney received a personalized beer can to mark 365 days since his transition. Mulvaney documented his journey on TikTok and gained millions of followers online
Last month, Beer Business Daily reported that off-site beer sales volume – that is, the amount of beer sold outside of restaurants and bars – had fallen 26.1% from the previous year during the week ending April 22.
Coors Light and Miller Lite saw consumers turn to their brands as sales both increased.
“Bud Light Blue’s shocking deterioration in market share continued through the third week of April – and in fact somehow worsened.
“We have never seen such a dramatic change from the national side in such a short time,” Beer Business Daily wrote on its website.
Coors Light volume increased 13.3% for the same period and Miller Lite increased 13.6%.
Some of Bud Light’s biggest rivals saw sales surge after the backlash
In the week since the campaign launched on April 1, Bud Light’s dollar sales fell 6%, while Coors Light rose 3.5% and Miller Lite 3.1%.
As the backlash intensified against Anheuser-Busch, their sales fell 17% in the week of April 18.
By comparison, Coors Light saw sales increase 10.6%, while Miller Lite made even more profit with sales up 11.5%.
Earlier this month, sales of Bud Light rose slightly, with the company posting just a 6.7% decline in sales, with its two rivals posting a whopping 18% increase.
Several famous faces slammed the brand for its decision after pro-Trump Kid Rock shot the cans and commented, “F*** Bud Light and f*** Anheuser-Busch. Have a great day.
John Rich also publicly denounced the brand, saying he would remove it from his bar in Nashville.
Mulvaney fired back at his critics over the Bud Light deal, telling Rosie O’Donnell on her podcast, “The reason I think I’m so…I’m an easy target is because I’m so new in this domain.”
Despite their attempts to disavow the connection, the video Mulvaney posted of herself drinking Bud Light in early April 2023 used the hashtag #budlightpartner
Fellow country singer John Rich has become the latest celebrity to hit the mark, asking which beer he should use to replace Bud Light at his Nashville bar, Redneck Riviera
“I think it’s a lot harder to go after a trans woman who’s been doing this for 20 years. I think they think maybe there’s some kind of luck with me… But what’s their objective ?
“These people, they don’t understand me, and everything I do or say is then taken out of context and used against me, and it’s so sad because everything I try to say is positive.”
“It’s trying to connect with others who maybe don’t understand me. It’s to make people laugh or to make a child feel seen.
In the turmoil following the collaboration announcement, Anheuser-Busch released a statement saying it supports the brand’s decision to work with Mulvaney.
