Bud Light’s partnership with transgender woman Dylan Mulvaney turned into the hangover from hell as sales of what once was America’s favourite beer plummeted all across the US..It’s even caught the attention of Britain’s DailyMail.com, which reports, “sales in the Rocky Mountain states dipped the most significantly, down by 29%, with the South Atlantic, West North Central and East South Central areas all dropping 25%.”.“Sales in the East North Central area, which includes Michigan and Illinois, both of which have seen a backlash against the beer, were down 23.5% in the week ending April 22.”.In New England, sales saw the lowest declines, at 14%, however a video taken at a Boston Red Sox game showed a Bud Light stand in Fenway Park totally deserted, a sign fans were boycotting the brand..A number of high-profile entertainers have gone public with their disdain of Bud’s parent company, Anheuser-Busch InBev, such as Kid Rock shooting up a case of the beer after discovering the partnership, shouting “F*** Bud Light, and f*** Anheuser-Busch. Have a terrific day.”.“Customers at Kid Rock's Big Honky Tonk and Rock n' Roll Steakhouse in Nashville praised the country icon for reportedly removing Bud Light from the bar,” reports DailyMail.com, adding “country singer Travis Tritt, who is from Georgia, in the South Atlantic region, announced he would be banning all Anheuser-Busch products from his tour bus over the partnership.”.In Marietta, Georgia, locals told DailyMail.com they were putting down their Bud Light and giving new life to sales of Coors Light, which, according to area bartenders, had an immediate impact on sales..DailyMail.com even proudly said, “The Tumbleweed, a cowboy bar in Wyoming, ditched Bud Light after the controversy, instead plumping for Guinness,” adding, “Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis (who previously said he prefers Guinness anyway) was also quick to switch from the brand, saying: 'Why would anyone drink Bud Light?'”.Even more proof the marketing campaign has become the hangover from hell is gay bars announced they will stop selling Bud Light..“In Chicago, 2Bears Tavern Group, which has four locations in the city, denounced Anheuser-Busch after the company abandoned its support of Mulvaney,” reports DailyMail.com. “They will also be discontinuing other Anheuser-Busch brands, including Busch Light and Goose Island 312.”.This is far from a typical weekend hangover, with analysts at HSBC downgrading Anheuser-Busch's stock due to the marketing crisis..“Carlos Laboy, a managing director at HSBC's global beverage sector, downgraded the stock of Anheuser-Busch InBev to a hold status. It means that investors should not buy or sell shares of the company,” reports DailyMail.com. “He said that the backlash is a sign there are 'deeper problems than ABI admits', questioning if it was 'hiring the best people to grow the brands and gauge risk.'”.In a note, Laboy said: “If Budweiser and Bud Light are iconic American ideas that have long brought consumers together, why did these marketers fail to invite new consumers without alienating the core base of the firm's largest brand?”.The New York Post reports the carnage spilled over into Anheuser-Busch’s other brands..“As beer drinkers discover how many other beer brands fall under the Anheuser-Busch umbrella, the backlash is widening, according to the fresh data,” says The Post. “The company’s flagship Budweiser brand took an 11.4% sales hit for the week ended April 29. Sales of Bud’s Michelob Ultra brand, the third-biggest-selling in the US behind No. 1 Bud Light and No. 2 Modelo Especial, were down 4.4%, according to alcohol industry consultant company Bump Williams Consulting.”.“It’s not just a Bud Light issue,” said Bump Williams, chief executive of the consultancy. “It’s an Anheuser-Busch portfolio problem now.”.It’s a very big problem, with The Post reporting, “last year, sales of Bud Light topped $4.8 billion, according to the Connecticut-based firm. Modelo Especial had $3.75 billion while Michelob Ultra generated $3.3 billion in sales. Budweiser came in at No. 7 last year with $1.83 billion in sales.”.Year to date, Bud Light and Budweiser are the only brands in the top 10 in the US that have seen sales decline, while others have seen increases..“Molson Coors, which produces Coors Light, jumped 7.6%, with Constellation, the company behind Corona, spiking 3.8%,” reports DailyMail.com. “Yuengling took the tumbling sales of Bud Light in their stride, rising up 14.7%, while Miller Light had a spike of 12.8%, Coors Light rose 10.9% and Coors Banquet 20.5%.”.“If Bud Light doesn’t fix its trend by the end of this month, it will continue to lose market share because it will lose Memorial Day. That kicks off the summer season,” Williams told The Post. “There has to be a sense of urgency for InBev to correct these trends.”
