Well, well, well. It seems as though the mighty Bud Light has fallen, and rightfully so. What once was America’s favorite beer is now firmly rooted at the 14th spot on the ranks – and let’s be honest, it should probably be lower.
It’s actually quite humorous to watch the king of beers spiral down to the depths of obscurity as it faces backlash from customers due to the controversial promotions featuring transgender influencers Dylan Mulvaney. But Brendan Whitworth, CEO and the man in charge over at Anheuser-Busch InBev, made it clear that he’s ultimately accountable for the actions of the company. Awww, so nice of him.
It’s not only customers who are feeling the ripples of this decision, but the 65,000 people who also depend on the brand’s success. Yes, there is a chance that Bud Light’s new summer campaign, which triples the brand’s investment in sports, primetime, and cable television advertisements, will restore its name and save its ailing status as the King of Beers. But with more and more microbreweries emerging onto the scene, it’s a battle Bud Light is losing fast.
So really, it’s not surprising that other brands, like Molson Coors, have made significant strides in taking market share away from Bud Light. On top of that, platforms like StartEngine have given us access to venture capital investing – granting anyone the opportunity to invest in emerging alcohol brands.
It’s sad to see our beloved King of Beers suffer under Whitworth’s rule. However, one question remains: what did we expect? If he can’t handle the pressures of running a billion-dollar empire, we can’t expect him to successfully navigated something as sensitive as the transgender issue.
It’s time for Anheuser-Busch InBev to smarten up and learn a valuable lesson from this: if you want to preserve the success of the 65,000 people who depend on the brand, you need to share a little more than empty words and half-hearted apologies. Otherwise, it’s only a matter of time before the King of Beers is dethroned.
