Reports: Bud Light Sacks Ad Agency Following Trans Nightmare, As Gay Bars Join Latest Boycott!
Bud Light’s marketing fiasco continues to make headlines almost a month after it happened with news over the weekend that the beer’s owner, Anheuser-Busch, had reportedly sacked the unnamed agency responsible for the campaign that featured trans activist, Dylan Mulvaney.
Anheuser-Busch CEO Michel Doukeris told investors on a Thursday earnings call about the “misinformation” spreading on social media about Mulvaney’s advertisements on behalf of Bud Light.
“We need to clarify the facts that this was one camp, one influencer, one post and not a campaign,” he said, Fox Business reported.
It had been reported that sales of Bud Light in the US had plummeted as much as 30 per cent. Doukeris didn’t exactly deny the claim but said that represented a mere one per cent of Anheuser-Busch’s global volume output.
According to reports on The New York Post, Anheuser-Busch told distributors that the specialty can designed with Mulvaney’s image was not designed by Anheuser-Busch and wasn’t created in one of its facilities, and that the company had ended its relationship with the advertising agency behind the idea.
Meanwhile, calls to boycott Bud Light continue apace but not from the angry, white males you’d expect.
Rather a number of gay bars in Chicago have joined forces to ban the sale of all Anheuser-Busch products including Busch Light, Bud Light and Goose Island 312 as a protest of the treatment of Mulvaney. The boycotts are expected to move to New York bars, too.
One bar involved in the boycott, Sidetrack Bar, shared its boycott plan on Instagram, saying the brewer’s moves “strongly bring into question their support of the LGBTQ+ community”.
“For 41 years Sidetrack has encouraged liquor and beer companies that have wished to garner the LGBTQ+ customer base to actively support our community,” the bar’s statement said.
“Bud Light’s recent decision to drop the Dylan Mulvaney campaign, to put on ‘leave’ those who created it, as well as the statement by its CEO, wrongfully validates the position that it is acceptable to acquiesce to the demands of those who do not support the Trans community and wish to erase LGBTQ+ visibility,” it said.
2Bears Tavern Group, which owns four bars in Chicago, also announced their establishments would no longer serve Anheuser-Busch products because of the brewer’s “anti-transgender actions and statements”.
To add to the brewer’s woes, footage of fans studiously avoiding Bud Light beer stands at a recent Boston Red Sox baseball game has gone viral.
Some even likened the empty beer stands to some kind of absurd anti-capitalist art installation.
Art critic Alfredo Portobello said: “I’ve never seen anything quite like it. It’s as if the very lack of people itself has become the art, symbolising the void left behind by consumerism in our lives.”
Bud light is finished pic.twitter.com/8J1YZ9PWIX
— Clown World ™ 🤡 (@ClownWorld_) May 4, 2023
Boston Red Sox officials appeared to see the funny side. “While we appreciate the creativity of our fans, we’d like to clarify that this was not a planned art exhibit,” an official said in a statement. “Unfortunately, Bud Light’s recent decline in popularity has led to decreased interest in their stands. We assure you that this has nothing to do with postmodern artistic expression.”
Please login with linkedin to comment
Bud LightLatest News
‘A Very Rare Breed Of Creative’ – Clemenger BBDO hires Chief Creative Officer
B&T's chatting with Clems boss Dani Bassil on Adrián Flores CCO appointment. We never got to Italian or Thai herbs.
Concrete Playground Debuts Innovative Urban Exploration Platform With Lexus As Launch Partner
Concrete Playground announced the launch of its redesigned website in partnership with Lexus. This partnership introduces a new era of urban discovery, enabling a deeper, more intuitive engagement with cities through a state-of-the-art digital platform. Revolutionised Digital Experience Concrete Playground’s website has undergone a significant transformation, designed to enhance the way users interact with their […]
Mindshare And The Brand Agency Take Top April’s New Business Rankings
Which agencies soared like an eagle for the month of April? As in stellar performance, not Eddie the hapless ski jumper.
Suntory BOSS Coffee Fuels Ambition With New Campaign From It’s Friday
Does your workplace have a strict, policed illegal drug policy? Then Suntory BOSS Coffee will have to do.
Resolution Digital Wins MyPlates Media Account
The best thing about personalised number plates is it makes spotting wankers on the road far easier. And drug kingpins.
Debunking The “Three Year Lie”: A New Approach To Retail Digital Strategy
This columnist says it's wrong to claim digital always has a three-year pay off. Has no opinion on the seven-year itch.
TV Ratings (06/05/2024): The Farmer Is Back And He Wants A Wife
It was a good night for lovers of farming and love.
The Growth Distillery Unveils The New Rules Of Influence
The New Rules Of Influence has arrived. And there appears to be no "difficult second album" syndrome here.
Whittaker’s Launch New Brand Platform, ‘Hello Chocolate Lovers’ Via Bastion Shine
New Zealand chocolate brand continues its insidious march into the Aussie market. Much like New Zealanders themselves.
Tyro Shows They Are ‘Into Business Big Time’ With New Brand Campaign Via Howatson+Company
Think finance isn't funny? Think again with this fun work. Yes, it still applies to funeral homes & Clive Palmer ads.
IAB Study Finds 66% Of Advertisers Have Five Or Less Years Experience With Affiliate & Partnership Marketing
Study finds advertisers & agencies not overly experienced with affiliate marketing. The opposite to networking drinks.
Optus Names NBN boss Stephen Rue As New CEO
In what would've been a delicious irony, alas this Optus news didn't get leaked in a major security beach.
Indy Enigma Delivers Signage For NSW’S First Purpose-built Surf Park
Is the fear of shark attack holding you back from a professional surfing career? This new surf park could be the ticket.
Houston Ramps Up Creative Capability, Appoints Two Senior Creatives
Houston - we don't have a problem! Well, not anymore with the appointment of these other-worldly recruits.
JCDecaux Secures All Major Bus Advertising Contracts Across Sydney
Do you like your ads to arrive 25 minutes later than scheduled? JCDecaux now boasts Transport for NSW's bus ad contract.
CommBank Launches The Brighter Side TV On 10 And 10 Play
Commbank teams with 10 for a new financial literacy program. Pensioners and the unemployed are advised not to watch.
IMAA Announces Next Female Leaders Of Tomorrow Programme
Here's a top initiative by the IMAA that B&T's proud to get behind. Unlike the 20 hotdogs in 20 minutes challenge.
Fast 10: Avid Collective’s Luke Spano On Building Deeper Relationships With Local Publishers & Advertisers
Avid Collective's Luke Spano takes on B&T's fast 10 questions. Well, 11 if you include "did you have a nice weekend?"
QMS Boosts NSW Billboard Network With Australian Turf Club Agreement
The QMS team seemingly now the ones to ask for a hot tip at Rosehill after partnering with the Australian Turf Club.
VMO Signs Deal With Stockland Shopping Centres
Often visit Stockland malls only to forget the very reason you came in the first place? Let VMO give you a gentle prod.
Day Management Appoints Paramount’s Tim Wall As Head Of Talent And Publicity
Paramount's Tim Wall exits the TV business after 12 years. Confesses the Rove years were the most taxing.
Poppet’s Postive Party Celebrates First Birthday At New HQ
Think first birthdays and fairy bread and dirty nappies spring to mind. Not to say it didn't happen at this one either.
Enjoy A Hahn Solo… And May The Fourth Be With You
If anything, this campaign does beg the question - at what age does Star Wars cut off as a cultural phenomenon?
DMARGE Founder Unveils Creator-Led Social Media Agency Feedstar
New creator-led social media agency Feedstar to be aimed directly at Gen Zs. Well, they'd hardly want print, would they?
TV Ratings (02/05/2024): A total of 1,753,000 Aussies Witness Port Adelaide’s Defeat
Seven's AFL numbers almost double that of the NRL last night. The NRL still easily winning for ruptured ACLs.
Hotglue Cashes In With La Trobe Financial Digital Media Account
Hotglue staffers learning their cashflows from their collaterals today after nabbing La Trobe Financial's digital media.
M&C Saatchi’s Sydney Creative Lead Exits
B&T's stopping short of calling it a revolving door at M&C at the present, but there's definitely heat on the hinges.
Taylor Swift’s Music Re-Enters TikTok As Universal Pens Landmark Deal
Yes, B&T may have spent 152 hours failing to get Taylor Swift tickets, but, as you'll read here, it's all behind us now.
HAVAS Red launches inaugural Influencer White Paper
Havas Red has debuted its first influencer white paper. Unless you print it out in colour, of course.
Two Sides Global Campaign Reports Increasing Greenwashing As Organisations Focus On Sustainability
New report confirms greenwashing's on the rise. Apparently Mars' 'work, rest & play' claims also under investigation.
Aruga Launches New HQ & Changed Ownership Structure
PR agency Aruga proves Brisbane is 'so hot right now'. So hot in fact, Adelaide's had to go on anti-anxiety meds.
Delicious & American Express Partner To Launch Month Out 2024 In Sydney
Cost of living got you eating noodles prepared in the two-minute style? Why not live vicariously through this.
Aussie Ad Market Continues Decline In March
The belt-tightening in adland shows signs of a turnaround soon. Bar the belt-loosening at the all-you-can-eat buffet.
VMA Focuses On Skills And Training For Members
If there was a post-COVID hangover (bar the anti-vax ranters) it was the rise in skills shortages. Here's another one.
Nearly 90% Of Consumers Want Transparency About AI Images, Finds Getty Images Report
Study finds consumers want transparency around AI images. Couldn't care less about photoshopped magazine covers.
The National Breast Cancer Foundation Partners With VML To Boost Funds
Anyone else feel we've exhausted the office morning tea for cancer? B&T proposes the office moonshine still instead.