Anheuser-Busch disavowed the Dylan Mulvaney marketing campaign, telling its partners that it had nothing the do with the effort.
According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, which cited a letter to wholesalers that was forwarded to some bars and restaurants, the brewing giant dismissed the Bud Light campaign as “one single can.”
“This was one single can given to one social media influencer,” the letter reportedly stated. “It was not made for production or sale to the general public. This can is not a formal campaign or advertisement.”
Since the transgender social-media influencer celebrated a year since transitioning to female with custom-made cans and congratulations from Anheuser-Busch, sales of Bud Light have collapsed by 26%.
The Post Dispatch reported that Anheuser-Busch’s letter was forwarded to retailers, bars and restaurants by Grey Eagle, which distributes Anheuser-Busch products to areas around St. Louis and which included a cover letter.
“Anheuser-Busch did not intend to create controversy or make a political statement,” that letter said.
“In reality, the Bud Light can posted by a social media influencer that sparked all the conversation was provided by an outside agency without Anheuser-Busch management awareness or approval,” Grey Eagle continued in its letter.
“Since that time, the lack of oversight and control over marketing decisions has been addressed and a new VP of Bud Light marketing has been announced,” the distributor said.
Ms. Mulvaney, a biological male who identifies as female, posted a video on TikTok and Instagram in early April in which she was dressed like Audrey Hepburn’s flighty character in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” drinking a Bud Light and showing off a can with her image on it.
Ever since, people on the right from Kid Rock to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene have called for boycotts or demonstrative rejections of Bud Light.
One Bud Light marketer called the move to partner with the transgender activist a way to overcome the brand’s “fratty” image. She has since taken a leave of absence.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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