Bud Light has released a statement addressing the backlash they have received in the wake of their Dylan Mulvaney partnership.
The news comes after it was reported that Bud Light’s parent company Anheuser-Busch lost over $5 billion in value since its partnership with the TikToker.
The twenty-six-year-old is known for her transgender activism, in particular her Days Of Girlhood series in which she shares details of her gender transition with her followers.
Bud Light received backlash after partnering with Mulvaney for their March Madness campaign, where people have a chance to win up to $15,000. The twenty-six-year-old shared a video of her dressed like Audrey Hepburn encouraging fans to enter.
The video was captioned: “Happy March Madness!! Just found out this had to do with sports and not just saying it’s a crazy month! In celebration of this sports thing @budlight is giving you the chance to win $15,000! Share a video with #EasyCarryContest for a chance to win!! Good luck! #budlightpartner.”
Despite this totally innocent and ordinary partnership, both Mulvaney and Bud Light were hit with backlash as a result of the anti-trans sentiment in the current climate.
Kid Rock has been seen shooting cans of the beer, and Travis Tritt is banning the brand from his tour.
Bud Light’s parent company, Anheuser-Busch, also faced troubles. Since the partnership, the company has seen its value drop by $5 billion, as reported by New York Post.
Shares fell by 4%, causing a plummet in the company’s market capitalisation from $132.38 billion to $127.13 billion on Wednesday.
Mulvaney was then spotted out and about in LA, where photographers questioned her about recent unrest regarding her partnerships.
When asked whether transgender stars are ‘the future’, Mulvaney replied with a resounding ‘yes’, via The Daily Mail.
She also shared that ‘life is good’ when asked if she was bothered by the backlash surrounding her recent campaigns.
It comes after the star hit out at conservatives taking issue with her partnership while on the Onward With Rosie O’Donnell podcast, where she accused of others bullying her because she is an “easy target.”
“The reason that I think I am so … I’m an easy target is because I’m so new to this,” Mulvaney said. “I think going after a trans woman that’s been doing this for like 20 years is a lot more difficult. I think maybe they think that there’s some sort of chance with me … But what is their goal?”
“These people, they don’t understand me, and anything that I do or say then somehow gets taken out of context and is used against me and it’s so sad because everything I try to put out is positive. It’s trying to connect with others that maybe don’t understand me. It’s to make people laugh or to make a kid feel seen.”
But now, Bud Light have broken their silence on the controversy surrounding their partnership with Mulvaney.
The CEO of Anheuser-Busch, Brendan Whitworth, shared this statement: “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’re honoured to be part of the fabric of this country. Anheuser-Busch employs more than 18,000 people and our independent distributors employ an additional 47,000 valued colleagues.
“We have thousands of partners, millions of fans and a proud history supporting our communities, military, first responders, sports fans and hard-working Americans everywhere.
“We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer.”
His statement continued: “My time serving this country taught me the importance of accountability and the values upon which America was founded: freedom, hard work and respect for one another.
“As CEO of Anheuser-Busch, I am focused on building and protecting our remarkable history and heritage.
“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.”
