Beer sales in the US are expected to hit their lowest level since 1999, and it’s largely due to Bud Light’s disastrous tie-up with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, according to industry experts.
Results from industry data indicate that sales declined by more than 5% in the first nine months of the year. The changing habits of younger drinkers are also contributing to the decline.
Since Mulvaney’s now-infamous posts touting their brand on April 1, Bud Light sales have steadily declined each month by 25% to 30%. This unseated Bud Light as the long-standing No.1 selling beer in the US. Despite other beers’ attempts to grab some of Bud Light’s market share, including Molson Coors’ brands Coors Light and Miller Lite seeing upward trends, and Constellation Brands’ Modelo climbing above Bud Light, none of these efforts made up Anheuser-Busch’s declines.
This blow to Bud Light’s reputation and sales figures comes following its partnership with the openly transgender Mulvaney, who sparked backlash and boycotts. This move may have backfired and caused irreparable damage to the brand. Prominent voices have joined the chorus of criticism, and some suggest that the situation may worsen for the beer giant.
“The Mulvaney fiasco couldn’t have come at a worse time for Bud Light. Just as they were facing competition from other brands, this unwise partnership resulted in them taking a hit in the market, letting go of their long-standing reign as the number one beer in the US market,” said a Beer Marketer’s Insights representative.
Experts warn that the impact of these declining sales on Anheuser-Busch’s bottom line may be long-lasting and severe. The decline in sales could cause a ripple effect that will take years for the company and the beer industry to recover. It seems that the pandemic has only added to the decline in sales figures, making it even more challenging for Bud Light to recoup what they’ve lost.