People who attended the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, SD, steered clear of the Budweiser tent because of Bud Light’s partnership with American transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. .“I got to tell you right now though, not looking good,” said TikTok user Cycledrag in a video. .“As you can tell, Budweiser’s spent an awful lot of money.” .A few staff members were spotted hanging behind a Budweiser booth, with one of them flashing the peace sign. These staff members said people can get a Sturgis glass at the tent. .Cycledrag moved over and shows a few people standing under the umbrella stands and covered benches. He suggested people might not be coming because of Mulvaney. .Despite it being empty now, he said he would keep an eye on it all week. He said he thinks it is going to change. .The reason he is interested in this is he heard Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary say brands should never pick a side on a controversial topic. That is the position Budweiser found itself in. .Cycledrag acknowledged political views “may be no match for alcoholism in the end.” If people enjoy Budweiser, they might come back to it. .“Although some may switch,” he said. .Cycledrag followed up by going back to the Budweiser area to see if business had picked up. .“Oh my goodness,” he said. .“Wow.” .The umbrella areas and covered benches remained empty. He asked a Budweiser staff member if there was an uptick in business, and he nodded. .He called for the staff to stay positive. By the end of the week, he said people might change. .He turned his camera to the road and showed it packed with motorcycles. The Harley and BMW tents were packed, but Budweiser remained empty. .Cycledrag said there “must be a whole lot of beer left over in there.” While he does not know what to say, he said it might be too soon. .Anheuser-Busch (AB) recorded a US$390 million drop in sales in the US on August 3 because of its partnership with Mulvaney. .READ MORE: Anheuser-Busch loses $390 million in second quarter because of Mulvaney controversy.AB blamed the volume decline in Bud Light sales for the drop in revenue in its second quarter, with figures showing total US revenue falling by 10.5% compared to one year earlier. .AB said sales to US retailers plunged 14%, adding it had underperformed the industry as a direct result of the collaboration with Mulvaney.
