Loyal Budweiser Light Drinkers Switch Brews Over Transgender Label Controversy
CORNVILLE, Ariz.—Whatever alcoholic beverage Scott Bradshaw was nursing in a tall glass while seated at the Old Corral Bar in Cornville, Arizona, it wasn’t Budweiser Light.
“Bud Light” is not on Bradshaw’s list of favorite lower-calorie brews these days—not after Anheuser-Busch InBev Brewery mixed business and “woke” politics in promoting a transgender brand ambassador.
The company’s decision to hire transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney, a biological male, alienated loyal Bud Light drinkers and hurt sales to the tune of $6 billion.
“I think it was a ridiculous thing any marketing person or company could have ever done,” Bradshaw, who lives in Sedona, Arizona, told The Epoch Times.
As soon as Mulvaney’s beaming face appeared on Bud Light beer commemorative cans, the backlash was almost immediate.
News reports put bottled Bud Light’s sales loss at 30 percent—50 percent for draft beer sales—in just one week.
“I feel sorry for the salespeople who suddenly aren’t getting any work. They’re getting undermined,” Bradshaw said.
Sitting on his right was Bradshaw’s grandfather, Dale Spude of Cornville, who feels Anheuser-Busch is paying the price in lost business.
“You know what my wife says? She says, ‘Don’t mess with the [promotional Budweiser] Clydesdales. Leave them alone,’” Spude said.
King of Beers
According to restaurant and beverage analyst WISK, Bud Light was the top-selling beer of 2020, accounting for nearly 18 percent of total sales.
In response to the brewing beer controversy, Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth released a statement on April 14, saying the company “never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people.”
“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,” Whitworth wrote.
“We’re honored 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.
Whitworth, however, did not mention Mulvaney or the nature of the controversy.
“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, 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.”
Across the highway from the Old Corral, Haley Vanzandt, co-owner of Robbers Roost Sports Grill, said Bud Light sales dropped more than 80 percent this past week. Her distributor reported an 85-percent loss in sales.
Vanzandt described the commercial impact as “huge.”
“It used to be one of the two best sellers,” Vanzandt said of Bud Light. “We have other things to sell. People are just switching to different beers.”
“They just won’t do Bud Light.”
Bad Mix
“I don’t think they should mix the politics in at all. Everybody else feels the same way,” she said.
Vanzandt said loyal Bud Light drinkers have been scurrying to buy as many cans and bottles as possible that don’t feature the new “woke” label.
“I’ve got two gentlemen who are still drinking it. They haven’t changed the label yet,” Vanzandt told The Epoch Times.
“I had a customer that went out and bought a bunch of 30 packs Bud Light before they changed the label.”
In Phoenix, Drive-In Liquor store owner Rocky Aranki said it’s too soon to know the full impact of the nationwide boycott on Bud Light.
“Time will tell. I have noticed maybe a little bit” fewer Bud Light sales this past week, Aranki told The Epoch Times.
“If they’re not buying Bud Light, they’re buying something else. I try not to worry about stuff that’s not in my hands. I can’t stress about it. Whatever they ask me, I’m going to sell them.
To Each Him/His Own
At 1881 Spirits in Prescott, Arizona’s famous Whiskey Row, bartender Steve Krauss said he’s heard some customers joking about Bud Light in view of the transgender controversy.
“It’s not selling as much” at 1881 Spirits since the backlash over Dylan Mulvaney, said Krauss, who believes “everyone has got their own opinion. What might float with one person might not float with another person. It’s like that with everything.”
“Here’s how I would have done it. I wouldn’t have made it gender related. I would have stuck with the frogs,” an older fictional Budweiser band. “They were banging with that,” Krauss said.
At the Bird Cage Saloon on Whiskey Row, bartender Shawnee Snaketail said it wasn’t as if Bud Light was the biggest seller at his bar.
“To be honest, not many people get Bud Light here,” said Snaketail, who said he could care less about a transgender person on Bud Light beer cans.
“I don’t think putting a rainbow on a can is political. It’s just a way for them to get more money,” Snaketail told The Epoch Times.
Further up Montezuma Street on Whiskey Row, the old western-themed Palace Bar recently switched brands from Bud Light on tap to Coors Light on tap.
General manager and part owner Raymond Moreno said the move had nothing to do with politics.
“It strictly has to do with such an uptick for people requesting Coors Light that it was more manageable to get kegs of that instead of getting bottles,” Moreno said.
Demand for Coors Light Increasing
“If you look at our draft [line], we only have a little space. Our switch-out had nothing to do with the current thing. It’s just that so many people were asking for Coors Light. It’s easier on us.”
At The Chaparral Bar in Cottonwood, Arizona, 43 miles north of Prescott, bartender Sydney Encinas said only a handful of customers have moved away from Bud Light due to the political fallout over Dylan Mulvaney.
“Honestly, as a woman, I have my own opinion. But I’m just here to work. I’m in the service industry,” Encinas said. “If [Bud Light] is not what you want to drink, I’ll get you something else. Politics and bar don’t mix.”
Next to Bud Light, Coors is the bar’s best-selling beer, Encinas told The Epoch Times.
“We’re just trying to bring everyone together and have a good time here. We’re not trying to bring the politics and all the heavy stuff,” Encinas said.
The Crow Bar and Grill in Cottonwood also has seen a drop in sales of Bud Light in recent days, said co-owner Kyle Kickbush.
“There’s been a decline in sales. Customers are shifting loyalties,” Kickbush said.
“It makes no difference to us. We keep politics out of the bar. There’s a joke or two here and there [about Bud Light], but that’s about it.”
Co-owner Nathan Wagner said he believes there is no such thing as bad advertising, Dylan Mulvaney notwithstanding.
“I’d prefer to keep politics out of the alcohol game,” Wagner said. “There’s been a conversation. Even on vacation, I was seeing it on social media.”
Beer Has No Politics
At The Tavern bar and restaurant in Old Cottonwood, manager Alex Dobrowolski said that while Bud Light remains in supply and demand, that could change in the current controversy.
“Maybe check back in a month, and it will be different,” he said.
Back at the Old Corral, bartender Eric Reyes said he thinks mixing business marketing, politics, and bars is a “terrible idea.”
“We’ve had many people change brands. I can name at least five, anyway. Some of our Bud Light drinkers are dedicated.”
Reyes said people, himself included, are “tired of everybody trying to shove ideas down everybody else’s throat.”
“Go be whoever you want to be [but] keep your politics out of beer,” Reyes said.
