Anheuser-Busch Inbev said Tuesday that revenue growth in most of its global regions was offset by a drop in North American sales, in a sign of continuing fallout from a promotion with a transgender influencer that cost it sales.
The world’s largest brewer and parent company of Bud Light said adjusted earnings for the latest quarter rose 4.1% to $5.4 billion on revenues that climbed 5% to $15.6 billion.
Revenue in the United States for the July-September period, however, tumbled 13.5%. AB InBev, based in Leuven, Belgium, noted that sales to retailers were down “primarily due to the volume decline of Bud Light.”
Bud Light sales plunged amid a conservative backlash after the brand sent a commemorative can to transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney in early April.
Budweiser products have a level of market share (still, even today, after a fairly big hit) that defies political leanings. Their market share was hurt by both political reactions to this complete non-issue of a marketing idea.
The politicization of beer is dumb, as a general rule.
Gays and straights, rich and poor, people just drink beer they like (and, often, can afford to drink in bulk)
Hmm, I wonder if there’s a geographical component to this. I live in the US southeast, and just about the only time I actually see people drinking beer is during large family gatherings or at large sporting events (both with a depressingly large conservative contingent). Maybe if you live in the north or a college town you experience a more varied group of beer drinkers. On the rare occasions I do see a non-conservative drinking a beer it’s almost always some kind of IPA or “fancy” beer, often from a microbrewery. In general though, beer just isn’t a very popular alcoholic beverage in my experience, with wines or liquors being far more popular. Even in college most people I knew would drink rum, vodka, or some kind of hard cider rather than a beer.
I went to college in Eastern Kentucky, taught in far Eastern Kentucky, and have friends from all over.
I think you’re reading too much into beer consumption as part of a selection bias. My sister has 2 master’s degrees and is definitely no conservative, and drinks bud light because it’s easy to drink - she doesn’t really like the “good” beers.
People just like things. I’ve had many a Bud Light inside of gay clubs - it’s just beer. Not my favorite, but i haven’t always been able to afford my favorites, especially with bar prices
