Fallout from the Bud Light boycott continues, and it seems as though the individual behind the marketing campaign is stepping away from the company.
Back in March, the Anheuser-Busch brand announced that they would be partnering with Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender TikTok influencer.
The decision was met with backlash from loyal customers of the beer brand, and even prompted some high profile music artists to remove Bud Light from their tour riders and bars.
It is also caused Kid Rock to post a now viral video of himself shooting cases of Bud Light with a machine gun.
After weeks of controversy and adverse reactions, with stock price declines and no end in sight, it seems as though the Vice President of Marketing for Bud Light is removing herself from the company, at least for the time being:
“Former Bud Light marketing VP Alissa Heinerscheid, who was at that post for not quite a year, is off the brand.
We understand she has decided to take a leave of absence.”
Heinerscheid is said to be replaced by Budweiser Vice President of Global Marketing Todd Allen.
The report goes on to site how the brand has communicated next steps with their partners and notes that the decision for Heinerscheid to step away is an effort to act in the best interest of the safety and well being of their employees.
The release from Beer Business Daily also noted that the move is a “top priority” for the safety and well being of their partners.
Anheuser-Busch never wanted to be a part of such a divisive decision with the marketing partnership with Mulvaney.
The 171 year old brewery released a statement from CEO Brendan Whitworth titled “Our Responsibility to America” last week.
The post was put out in effort to level out the sales declines Bud Light and their other brands have experienced since announcing the partnership:
“As the CEO of a company founded in America’s heartland more than 165 years ago, I am responsible for ensuring every consumer feels proud of the beer we brew.
We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer.
I care deeply about this country, this company, our brands and our partners. I spend much of my time traveling across America, listening to and learning from our customers, distributors and others.
Moving forward, I will continue to work tirelessly to bring great beers to consumers across our nation.”
An interview with the former VP of marketing for Bud Light went viral as she tore down the alleged “fratty and out of touch” customer base that she believed was responsible for the brand being in decline.
Like the statement said from their CEO, Bud Light never intended to create such a divisive environment around their beer and brewing company.
After this announcement of their VP of marketing stepping down and a statement from last week that revealed they were “reevaluating their influencer partnerships,” it appears that Bud Light is falling beneath the “customer is king” mantra.
In what was called a “damage control” effort, Budweiser also recently released a patriotic commercial titled “The Shared Spirit” featuring their signature Clydesdale horse, blue collar workers, first responders and the American Flag.
And while the ad spot was very much in the vein of the typical Budweiser commercial, angry Bud drinkers called the move “a little too late.”
Crowd Erupts As Brantley Gilbert Spikes A Bud Light
Brantley Gilbert doesn’t drink anymore. (As he likes to say, he’s allergic to alcohol – he breaks out in handcuffs).
But if he did, it seems that Bud Light wouldn’t be his beer of choice.
Obviously Bud Light has been in the headlines quite a bit the past few weeks, stirring up controversy after an ad campaign featuring transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
In the country music world, two of the most outspoken stars against Bud Light have been Travis Tritt and John Rich.
While Rich announced that he would be removing Bud Light from his downtown Nashville bar, Redneck Riviera, Tritt also said that he would be removing all Anheuser-Busch products from his tour rider.
Tritt said he’s not alone in the country music world when it comes to removing his support of Bud Light, but that other artists are afraid to speak up about it – noting that he has no such fear:
Well it seems Brantley Gilbert has no problem making his feelings on Bud Light known either.
During a show this weekend at Indian Mountain ATV Park in Alabama, somebody threw Gilbert a Bud Light on stage.
The country rocker held the beer up or a second, before spiking it on the stage to massive applause from the crowd:
“Yeah, fuck that.”
Brantley was then tossed another beer of a different brand, which he seemingly approved of – but since he doesn’t drink himself, he handed that one off to his drummer to shotgun.
And Brantley’s not the only artist who’s gotten a strong reaction to seemingly taking a shot at Bud Light from the stage over the weekend. During a show at Nissan Stadium while opening for Luke Combs, the crowd erupted when Riley Green changed “Bud Light” to “Coors Light” in the lyrics to his song “I Wish Grandpas Never Died.”
I guess the Bud Light controversy isn’t going away any time soon.
