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☆ William Whitworth, Revered Writer and Editor, Is Dead at 87
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Sam Roberts | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

William Whitworth, who wrote revealing profiles in The New Yorker giving voice to his idiomatic subjects and polished the prose of some of the nation’s celebrated writers as its associate editor before transplanting that magazine’s painstaking standards to The Atlantic, where he was editor in chief for 20 years, died on Friday in Conway, Ark., near Little Rock. His daughter, Katherine Whitworth Stewart, announced the death. She said he was being treated after several falls and operations in a hospital. As a young college graduate, Mr. Whitworth forsook a promising career as a jazz trumpeter to do a different kind of improvisation as a journalist. He covered breaking news for The Arkansas Gazette and later for The New York Herald Tribune, where his colleagues eventually included some of the most exhilarating voices in American journalism, among them Dick Schaap, Jimmy Breslin and Tom Wolfe.

Persons: William Whitworth, Katherine Whitworth Stewart, Whitworth forsook, Dick Schaap, Jimmy Breslin, Tom Wolfe Organizations: Yorker, The Arkansas Gazette, The New York Herald Tribune Locations: Conway, Little Rock

☆ Anheuser-Busch says U.S. marketing head is leaving
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Marley Jay | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Beer giant Anheuser-Busch says its head of U.S. marketing is leaving, months after its Bud Light brand lost its position as the top beer brand in the country. The company said U.S. Chief Marketing Officer Benoit Garbe will leave at the end of 2023 "in order to embark on a new chapter in his career," with U.S. Chief Commercial Officer Kyle Norrington taking charge of marketing activities. The company said other sales leaders will report directly to Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth. Bud Light lost its U.S. leadership title to Modelo Especial over the summer. Sales of the brand have been falling for years while Modelo's parent, Constellation Brands, gained steam and marketed itself more successfully to younger beer drinkers.

Persons: Bud Light, Benoit Garbe, Kyle Norrington, Brendan Whitworth, Whitworth, influencer Dylan Mulvaney, influencers Organizations: Anheuser, Busch, Bud, ., U.S, Modelo Especial, Constellation Brands, NCAA, women's, Conservative

☆ Anheuser-Busch US CMO is stepping down after Bud Light sales sink
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Anheuser-Busch InBev’s US chief marketing officer is stepping down after the company reported a slump in Bud Light sales, as the backlash against the beer continues. The world’s biggest brewer reported a 13.5% decline in third-quarter US revenue per 100 liters, a key measure of beer sales. The brand’s Bud Light customers abandoned the beer after it partnered with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney and botched its response to the controversy. Bud Light lost its long-held top-selling American beer title to rival Modelo after its short partnership with Mulvaney. But AB InBev still wants to turn things around — and ditching its CMO may be one of the steps.

Persons: New York CNN —, Busch, Benoit Garbe, “, ” Garbe, Kyle Norrington, Bud, influencer Dylan Mulvaney, reshuffling, ”, Brendan Whitworth, Bud Light, Michel Doukeris, –, Jordan Valinsky Organizations: New, New York CNN, New York CNN — Anheuser, Busch, Bud Light, Anheuser, InBev, Modelo, Mulvaney Locations: New York

☆ Anheuser-Busch and UFC strike multiyear partnership, as brewer tries to turn around Bud Light sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Stefan Sykes | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Anheuser-Busch InBev's Bud Light will again become the official beer sponsor for the Ultimate Fighting Championship with a six-year marketing partnership, the companies announced Tuesday. As part of the agreement, Bud Light will receive exclusive and prominent branding at UFC fights and events, as well as in-arena promotion. The agreement comes on the heels of a conservative boycott against Anheuser-Busch's Bud Light that began this spring when the brand partnered with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. The partnership grants Bud Light visibility in an estimated 900 million TV households in more than 170 countries. "Anheuser-Busch and Bud Light were UFC's original beer sponsors more than fifteen years ago.

Persons: Busch, Bud Light, Bud, influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Dana White, Donald Trump's, Brendan Whitworth, White Organizations: Anheuser, CNBC, UFC, Modelo Especial, U.S, Busch, Modelo, Constellation Brands, Holdings Inc, Bud Locations: Las Vegas

☆ Companies turn to crisis PR firms when money, reputation is at risk
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

“A scandal breaking on a Tuesday is very different than one breaking on a Friday, because on Tuesday you’re going to have the rest of the week for stories to drop and snowball. You need to stick with the stance you’re taking, and it might mean you’re going to lose a subset of your audience. Dylan Mulvaney/InstagramThe most prominent case study experts pointed to was the Bud Light public relations fiasco in April, when America’s erstwhile No. “Oftentimes, now, the bigger risk is the social media spread.”“Prior to social media, people felt less empowered to share their opinions,” said Jennings. Often for crisis communication, you’re not trying to counter the reality, you’re trying to counter the perception.”However, as much as social media stokes the flames of PR crisis, the platforms can be effective mitigation tools.

Persons: “, ”, Ben Kaplan, ’ ”, Lauren Jennings, Alison Brod, Jennings, Rather, Evan Nierman, Deborah Hileman, Kaplan, we’re, We’re, Nierman, Dylan Mulvaney, Bud Light, Bud, influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Mulvaney, Bud Light’s, Brendan Whitworth, ” …, you’re, Johnson, ” “, stokes, that’s Organizations: CNN, Top Agency, Alison Brod Marketing, Communications, Institute for Crisis Management, InBev, Anheuser, Busch, Facebook, YouTube Locations: “

☆ Bud Light maker Anheuser-Busch to lay off hundreds of corporate staff
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Stefan Sykes | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

An employee adjusts bottles of Bud Light beer at an Anheuser-Busch InBev facility in Virginia, Aug. 8, 2018. Beverage giant Anheuser-Busch InBev announced it will lay off hundreds of corporate employees as sales of its flagship lager Bud Light falter. Bud Light sales have sagged following a conservative boycott over its March Madness partnership with transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Bud Light had 7% market share during that same period, the data found. The firm also found Bud Light sales dropped 28% for the week ending June 24 when compared with the same period last year.

Persons: Bud Light, Busch, Brendan Whitworth, Bud, influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Mulvaney, Bump Williams, Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, Bud Light's, —, Kevin Breuninger Organizations: Anheuser, Busch InBev, Beverage, CNBC, Busch, Constellation Brands, Modelo, Bud Light, Florida Gov, State Board of Administration, Mulvaney Locations: Virginia, U.S, Florida

☆ Bud Light owner laid off hundreds of US workers, following months of backlash
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Grace Mayer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The Bud Light owner has faced months of lagging US sales since April. The backlash began after transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney posted a Bud Light promotion. The beer company has faced lagging sales and backlash after Bud Light's promotion with Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender influencer. The decision follows a months-long plunge in Bud Light sales. Bud Light has been embroiled in backlash since April when Mulvaney posted a Bud Light promotion on her Instagram.

Persons: Bud, influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Bud Light, Bud Light's, Dylan Mulvaney, Brendan Whitworth, —, Mulvaney Organizations: Anheuser, Busch, Wall Street Journal, Service, Privacy, Corporate, Bud Light, Modelo Especial Locations: Wall, Silicon, Mexican

New York CNN —Beer maker Anheuser-Busch said Wednesday that it will lay off positions across its US corporate staff. The company’s website says that it employs “more than 19,000 employees nationwide.” Two percent of that figure would number about 380 positions. “Today we took the very difficult but necessary decision to eliminate a number of positions across our corporate organization,” said Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth. “While we never take these decisions lightly, we want to ensure that our organization continues to be set for future long-term success.”In May, Mexican lager Modelo Especial dethroned Bud Light as America’s top-selling beer, a title that Bud had largely held for more than two decades. The beer’s brand had been struggling due to the Dylan Mulvaney controversy, when the transgender influencer posted an Instagram photo of a custom can that Bud Light had sent her.

Persons: New York CNN — Beer, Busch, ”, Brendan Whitworth, Bud Light, Bud, Dylan, influencer Organizations: New, New York CNN, Anheuser, Busch, Bush US, Modelo Especial Locations: New York

☆ Here’s how Bud Light became the latest corporate bogeyman for Ron DeSantis
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Partnering with a young, popular trans woman could help a brand like Bud Light reach a more youthful demographic. But because Bud Light managed to alienate everyone, it hasn’t gotten the benefit of a buycott. In the week ending on July 8, Bud Light sales, by dollar, fell nearly 24% year-over-year, according to data provided by Williams. Others are more breezy, showing people enjoying Bud Light despite the inconveniences of summer (sunburn, thunderstorm). Bud Light is “coming back,” said Marcel Marcondes, AB InBev’s chief marketing officer, during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in June.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Bud Light, influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Bud, BUD, “, Mulvaney, Lamar Taylor, “ prudently, DeSantis, Taylor, Scott Olson, Bud Light’s, Dylan Mulvaney, Anheuser Bush, — Anheuser, Brendan Whitworth, ”, LIV, Rob Carr, buycotts, hasn’t, Bump Williams, Williams, Busch, Whitworth, ” Whitworth, Marcel Marcondes, ” Daniel Korschun, ” Korschun, Erin Reed, Elon Musk, he’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, Florida Gov, Republican, Bud Light, Anheuser, Busch InBev, State Board of Administration, AB InBev, CNN, Busch, “ Anheuser, Gallup, — Anheuser Busch’s, America, Trump National Golf Club, Modelo Especial, InBev’s, Cannes Lions International, Creativity, Drexel University, InBev, Republicans, Target, Twitter, Tesla, Disney Locations: New York, Florida, Sterling , Virginia, Central Florida

☆ A former Anheuser-Busch exec has become one of the Bud Light maker's fiercest critics
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Grace Mayer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Anson Frericks, a former executive at Anheuser-Busch, has criticized how the company has handled the backlash against Bud Light. Now, Anheuser-Busch has gotten involved with issues that he's been fighting against, Frericks told Insider. Anheuser-Busch US CEO Brendan Whitworth hasn't explicitly defended the Bud Light partnership with influencer Dylan Mulaney, nor has he called it a mistake. The dip in Bud Light sales persisted through the end of June, USA Today reported. In a TikTok video posted at the end of June, Mulvaney alleged that Bud Light never reached out to her following the onslaught of hate she received.

Persons: Anson Frericks, Bud Light, Bud, influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Brendan Whitworth, Mulvaney, Whitworth, Frericks, he's, Busch, He's, Vivek Ramaswamy, Marc Benoiff, Brendan Whitworth hasn't, influencer Dylan Mulaney, Getty, LAURIE DIEFFEMBACQ, Dylan Mulvaney Organizations: Anheuser, Busch, Service, Whitworth, CBS, Newsweek, Street, Fox News, Daily Mail, Fox, Bud, MAG, AFP, Pride Month, Human, USA Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ Bud Light is trying to meme its way back into your fridge
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Grace Mayer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Bud Light posted a meme on Sunday that seemed to poke fun at the brand's handling of backlash it's faced. The backlash began in April, after Bud Light partnered with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. A video clip posted on Sunday to Bud Light's Twitter and Instagram shows a woman eating a watermelon, a Bud Light can on a picnic table behind her while severe wind whips trash and sends people scurrying. Conservatives are calling for Bud Light boycotts, while advocates are asking the brand to support the transgender community. The recent post from Bud Light, though, seemed to meme-ify Bud Light's own handling of the backlash — silently waiting out the storm of outcry.

Persons: Bud Light, it's, influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Bud Light's, Bud, Brendan Whitworth, Larry Kopp, they're, Busch, Mulvaney, Kopp, Drew Kerr, we've, Kerr Organizations: Service, Bud Light's Twitter, Anheuser, Busch, Bud Light, Mulvaney, TASC Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ US senators to get classified White House AI briefing Tuesday
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File PhotoWASHINGTON, July 10 (Reuters) - The White House will brief senators Tuesday on artificial intelligence in a classified setting as lawmakers consider adopting legislative safeguards on the fast-moving technology. ET briefing, organized by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and other senators, will be the first-ever classified Senate briefing on AI and will take place in a sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF) at the U.S. Capitol. The briefers will include Avril Haines, director of National Intelligence; Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy director Arati Prabhakar and National Geospatial Intelligence Agency Director Trey Whitworth. Congress is narrowly divided and has not reached any consensus on AI legislation. In April, the CEOs of ChatGPT developer OpenAI, its backer Microsoft (MSFT.O), and Alphabet (GOOGL.O) met with Biden and other officials to discuss AI.

Persons: Elizabeth Frantz, Chuck Schumer, Avril Haines, Kathleen Hicks, Arati Prabhakar, Trey Whitworth, Schumer, Biden, David Shepardson, Chris Reese Organizations: U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, WASHINGTON, Senate Democratic, U.S . Capitol, National Intelligence, White, Office of Science, Technology, National Geospatial Intelligence, Microsoft, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, U.S

☆ Bud Light tries to win back conservatives one grunt at a time in a new ad featuring NFL star Travis Kelce
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Bud Light released a new ad with Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce, titled "Backyard Grunts." Bud Light aims to win back conservatives with a new ad featuring Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce and several decidedly less athletic men gingerly easing themselves into various seats — and grunting. Bud Light faced backlash over partnering with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney in April. The new 15-second spot depicted various backyard gatherings and has no dialogue apart from grunts, sighs, and Kelce saying "yeah." He also said about the summer advertising strategy: "you can look forward to Bud Light reinforcing what you've always loved about our brand – that it's easy to drink and easy to enjoy."

Persons: Bud Light, Travis Kelce, influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Brendan Whitworth, Mulvaney, Whitworth, Bud, Busch, you've Organizations: Kansas City Chiefs, Anheuser, Busch US, Morning, Busch, CBS, Bud Light, Modelo Especial Locations: America

☆ Dylan Mulvaney says Bud Light’s backlash response was ‘worse than not hiring a trans person at all’
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Dylan Mulvaney on Thursday broke her silence about the fallout that occurred after the trans influencer made two Instagram posts sponsored by Bud Light earlier this year. Bud Light’s sponsorship of an April 1 Instagram post by Mulvaney set off a firestorm of anti-trans backlash and calls for a boycott. But later it released a vague statement from the CEO that failed to offer support for Mulvaney or the trans community. The Bud Light backlash also coincided with anti-LGBTQ+ campaigns against other big brands, including Target. “I think the conversation surrounding Bud Light has moved away from beer, and the conversation has become divisive, and Bud Light really does not belong there, Bud Light should be about bringing people together,” Whitworth said.

Persons: New York CNN — Dylan Mulvaney, Bud Light, Bud Light’s, Mulvaney, ” Mulvaney, Bud, Brendan Whitworth, ” Whitworth, I’ve, ” –, Danielle Wiener, Bronner Organizations: New, New York CNN, American Civil Liberties Union, UCLA School of Law, Target, Bud Light, Anheuser, Busch, CBS, CNN Locations: New York

☆ Would Bud Light do it all over again? Anheuser-Busch's US CEO dodges question of whether promo with a transgender influencer was a 'mistake.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Grace Mayer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The company's Bud Light brand saw backlash over a promotion that featured a transgender influencer. The CEO didn't say whether he thought the promo a "mistake," but said the brand would continue to support LGBTQ+ organizations. Analysts from JP Morgan have also warned that sales could continue to drop, and predicted some consumers will swear off Bud Light "for the foreseeable future." Anheuser-Busch is now spending nearly three times more on Bud Light advertising, Whitworth told CBS Wednesday. The Bud Light brand has also donated to anti-LGBTQ+ politicians in the past, the interviewers pointed out in the CBS segment.

Persons: Bud, —, Brendan Whitworth, Bud Light, influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Whitworth, it's, Mulvaney, JP Morgan, We'll, we've Organizations: CBS, Service, Privacy, Anheuser, Target, Busch, JP, Bud Light

☆ Anheuser-Busch hopes new ads will change the Bud Light conversation
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Distributors are also facing financial difficulty because of a sharp decrease in Bud Light sales. Two marketing executives, Alissa Heinerscheid of Bud Light and Daniel Blake of A-B, have taken leaves of absences. In May, Mexican lager Modelo Especial dethroned Bud Light as America’s top-selling beer, a title that Bud had largely held for more than two decades. Bud Light sales plunged 24% during the four weeks ending June 3, according to NIQ data provided to consulting firm Bump Williams. Bud Light, however, remains the country’s top-selling beer so far this year.

Persons: Bud Light, “, influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Mulvaney, Brendan Whitworth, Alissa, Daniel Blake of, ”, Whitworth, Marcel Marcondes, ” Marcondes, Bud, Bump Williams Organizations: New, New York CNN, Anheuser, Distributors, Bud Light, Beer Business, Busch, Bud, NFL, Human, Cannes Lions International, Modelo Especial Locations: New York, Houston, Jonesboro , Arkansas

☆ Bud Light rolls out new ad following the Dylan Mulvaney controversy
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Bud Light is trying to revive its slumping brand with a new marketing campaign aimed at – appropriately – overcoming adversity. It shows people enjoying Bud Light despite facing some of summer’s biggest pain points, like sunburn or a sudden thunderstorm during a cook out. Bud Light | Easy to SummerThe new ad is a continuation of its “Easy to Drink, Easy to Enjoy” that made its debut during this year’s Super Bowl. That spot featured actor Miles Teller and his wife Keleigh Sperry dancing and relaxing at home with a Bud Light. Bud Light sales plunged 24% during the four weeks ending June 3, according to NIQ data provided to consulting firm Bump Williams.

Persons: Bud Light, Dylan, Bud, Bud Light’s, ’ backyards, Travis Kelce, Dak, It’s, Miles Teller, Keleigh Sperry, Alissa Heinerscheid, Todd Allen, Brendan Whitworth, ”, Marcel Marcondes, “, ” Marcondes, Bump Williams Organizations: New, New York CNN, YouTube, NFL, Anheuser, Busch, CNN, Busch InBev, Human, Cannes Lions International, Modelo Especial Locations: New York, Dak Prescott, Mulvaney

☆ Bud Light boycott is the talk of the town at the prestigious Cannes Lions ad festival
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Mike Moore | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty ImagesBud Light's ill-fated Dylan Mulvaney collaboration dominated conversations among marketers gathered in southern France for the Cannes Lions advertising festival this week. But according to Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of LGBTQ+ rights organization GLAAD, Bud Light's lack of engagement did exactly that. "What Bud Light did was they had a trigger response and they ended up alienating everyone," Ellis told CNBC's Tania Bryer Wednesday. In May, Bud Light lost its top spot in the U.S. beer market, falling behind Constellation Brands' Modelo after sales slumped 24.6% year over year. A 'wake-up call'AB InBev's chief global marketing officer, Marcel Marcondes, said Monday that the months-long Bud Light boycott had been a wake-up call for the company.

Persons: influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Mike Moore, Bud Light's, Dylan, influencer Mulvaney, Brendan Whitworth, Sarah Kate Ellis, Bud Light, Ellis, CNBC's Tania Bryer, we're, David Droga, Droga, Andrew Clarke, Mars Wrigley, Clarke, Marcel Marcondes Organizations: Getty, Cannes Lions, Anheuser, Busch InBev, InBev's North, U.S, Constellation Brands, Modelo, Accenture, Brands, InBev's, Light, Deutsche Bank Locations: France, Cannes, U.S

☆ Boycotts rarely work — but anti-LGBTQ+ backlash is forcing companies into tough choices
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Stefan Sykes | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

For companies like Target and Disney, it is unclear if boycotts will hit sales. The company said it has not changed any policy on decorations and is encouraging stores to celebrate Pride Month. Despite the mounting headlines and sustained criticism of Bud Light, corporate boycotts are "overstated," and those offended by campaigns tied to Pride Month are in the "minority," Ellis said. Bud Light appears to be an outlierIn April, the brewer ran a March Madness promotion with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney, who shared a customized Bud Light can on Instagram. Justin Sullivan | Getty ImagesIt isn't just Bud Light — brands across the board are facing calls to boycott their goods or services.

Persons: Gene Kim, Bud Light, Anson Frericks, Starbucks baristas, Sarah Kate Ellis, Ellis, Dylan Mulvaney, Brendan Whitworth, — Alissa Heinerscheid, Daniel Blake —, Bump Williams, Busch, Frericks, Bud, Marcel Marcondes, Marcondes, Justin Sullivan, Jack Daniel's, Lawrence Glickman, Glickman, baristas, hasn't, Disney isn't, Ron DeSantis, Lindsey Roeschke, Brayden King, King, David Cliff, Nurphoto Organizations: Anheuser, Busch, Target, Disney, Starbucks, Pride Month, Target's, Pride, GLAAD, Mulvaney, CNBC, Gay, Chamber, Commerce, Cannes Lions International, Creativity, Brands, Kohl's, Nike, Adidas, Ford, Associated Press, American Studies, Cornell University, Consumer, Walt Disney Co, Florida Gov, Brand Intelligence, Morning, Northwestern University, Getty Locations: U.S, America, San Francisco , California, Oklahoma, Florida

☆ US CEO of Bud Light maker tells customers 'we hear you' after brand loses best-selling American beer crown
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Grace Mayer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Anheuser-Busch's US CEO outlined steps the brand is taking to alleviate Bud Light backlash. This week, Bud Light lost its title as the best-selling beer brand in the US. In the video, Mulvaney, 26, talked about a March Madness contest sponsored by Bud Light, and how she was celebrating her "day 365 of womanhood." A decline in Bud Light sales has persisted. Earlier this week, the Bud Light beer brand ceded its title as the best-selling beer brand in the US to Modelo Especial beer, after the beer brand's sales dropped by 23% in May, according to data compiled by consumer-behavior research firm Circana and shared with Insider.

Persons: Bud, Bud Light, —, Bud Light's, Brendan Whitworth, Whitworth, you've, influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Mulvaney Organizations: Service, Anheuser, Busch, Bud, Bud Light, Modelo Especial

☆ Anheuser-Busch is writing checks to distributors as Bud Light sales sink
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Bud Light’s parent company Anheuser-Busch has laid out a plan to appease beer distributors affected by two months of plunging sales sparked by an ongoing customer boycott. The company plans to provide financial assistance to its wholesalers, reimburse fuel for distributors’ trucks and launch a new ad campaign for Bud Light next week, A-B CEO Brendan Whitworth wrote in a letter Thursday. Damage was so severe that Bud Light, which is typically the top-selling beer in the United States, lost its place for May to Modelo Especial. A-B is providing financial support based on the extent to which sales have fallen, according to Beer Business Daily, an influential beer trade newsletter. Some distributors will get between 20 cents to 50 cents back per case depending on how severe sales slipped, Beer Business Daily said.

Persons: Bud Light’s, Bud Light, Brendan Whitworth, “, ” Whitworth, Bud, influencer Dylan Mulvaney, they’ve, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, Anheuser, Busch, Modelo Especial, Beer Business, Beer Business Daily, CNN Locations: New York, United States

☆ US CEO of Bud Light maker tells customers 'we hear you' after brand loses best-selling beer in America crown
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Grace Mayer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Persons: Bud, Bud Light, —, Bud Light's, Brendan Whitworth, Whitworth, you've, influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Mulvaney Organizations: Service, Anheuser, Busch, Bud, Bud Light, Modelo Especial

Bud Light trailed with a 7.3% share. Bud Light sales fell 24.6% in the period year over year, while Modelo sales jumped 10.2%, the data shows. Still, the Anheuser-Busch InBev brand Bud Light leads U.S. beer sales so far this year, according to Bump Williams. The company's shares have dropped nearly 15% since the start of April, when Mulvaney posted a video of a personalized Bud Light can, which sparked anti-LGBTQ+ outrage. The boycott against Bud Light comes as state and federal politicians increasingly push to claw back the rights of trans people.

Persons: Bud Light, influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Bump Williams, Mulvaney, Brendan Whitworth Organizations: Modelo, Constellation Brands, Anheuser, Busch InBev, Bud, Busch, Pride, Starbucks, Target Locations: Brooklyn Borough, New York, U.S

☆ Anheuser-Busch loses LGBTQ+ equality rating from Human Rights Campaign for handling of Bud Light backlash
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Grace Mayer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The Human Rights Campaign removed Anheuser-Busch's equality score and "Best Places to Work Title." The group has since removed this designation in response to the company's handling of backlash from a Bud Light promotion that featured transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, USA Today reported. In April, Mulvaney posted a promotion on her Instagram that featured custom Bud Light beer cans with prints of her face. In a statement provided to Insider, Jay Brown, senior vice president of programs, research, and training at Human Rights Campaign, said the group decided to suspend Anheuser-Busch's equality score after several attempts to contact the company's executive team. Last year, the Human Rights Campaign gave Anheuser-Busch its highest equality rating: a 100 on its 2022 Corporate Equality Index score, a tool that weighs a company's corporate policies, practices, and benefits for its LGBTQ employees.

☆ Anheuser-Busch loses top LGBTQ+ rating over its Bud Light response
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —Last year, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation gave Bud Light parent company Anheuser-Busch a top rating for LGBTQ+ equality. Bud Light sales dropped in the ensuing weeks. Bud Light has been embroiled in controversy since April. But Bud Light hasn’t gotten the benefit of support for its initial deal with Mulvaney because of its subsequent reaction. During the discussion, he mentioned that Bud Light is just one brand within the company’s broad portfolio, which has not changed its full-year outlook.

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