Dylan Mulvaney: Can He Legally Drink Beer?

In April 2023, transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney promoted a Bud Light contest on Instagram, sparking backlash from conservatives and leading to calls for a boycott of the beer brand. The controversy centred on a video in which Mulvaney, dressed as Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany's, promoted a $15,000 giveaway and showed off a personalised can of Bud Light commemorating her transition. The video was Mulvaney's second project with Bud Light, the first being a 60-second video in which she sipped beer in a bubble bath. The backlash was swift and brutal, with high-profile right-wing figures like Ben Shapiro, Ted Cruz, and Kid Rock joining in to condemn the collaboration. Despite attempts to weather the storm, Bud Light faced declining sales and criticism for its tepid response to the controversy.

Dylan Mulvaney's Bud Light promotion

In April 2023, Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender influencer with a large following on TikTok and Instagram, partnered with Bud Light for a social media promotion. Mulvaney, who had gained popularity for documenting her transition journey, promoted Bud Light's Easy Carry Contest, which offered customers a chance to win $15,000. To celebrate Mulvaney's transition anniversary, Bud Light also sent her a personalised can with her face on it, which she featured in her sponsored video.

The collaboration sparked intense backlash from conservative groups and right-wing anti-trans activists, who called for boycotts of the brand. The controversy escalated to the point where prominent figures like Kid Rock and Trae Waynes filmed themselves shooting cans of Bud Light, and conservative politicians like Ted Cruz and Ron DeSantis joined the outrage. This resulted in a significant drop in sales for Bud Light, with sales falling by 17% year-on-year in the weeks following the promotion.

The response from Bud Light's parent company, Anheuser-Busch, was criticised for its lack of support for Mulvaney. The company's initial silence and subsequent vague statements were seen as a failure to address the controversy or stand up for LGBTQ+ rights. Two marketing executives were placed on leave, and the company faced accusations of rainbow-washing and performative allyship.

Amid the backlash, Mulvaney broke her silence in late April, expressing her struggle to understand the need for dehumanisation and cruelty. She later shared in June that she had felt afraid to leave her house due to the intense backlash and felt let down by Bud Light's lack of communication and support.

The fallout from the Dylan Mulvaney-Bud Light partnership highlighted the challenges faced by corporations when their campaigns spark intense backlash. It also brought to light the fine line between supporting marginalised communities and performing allyship without taking active steps for positive change.

The backlash and boycott

Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender social media influencer with a large following on TikTok and Instagram, partnered with Bud Light in April 2023. Mulvaney promoted a Bud Light contest on Instagram, which sparked immediate backlash and calls for a boycott from conservative commentators and celebrities. Right-wing anti-trans groups attacked the partnership, with some even destroying Bud Light products in protest. The boycott was supported by high-profile figures such as Kid Rock, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, and Marjorie Taylor Greene.

The backlash was driven by anti-trans sentiment and the perception that Bud Light was promoting "woke" values. Mulvaney had previously faced transphobic harassment from Congressional Republicans and conservative pundits for her transition and gender expression. The boycott was part of a broader trend of conservative backlash against brands that were perceived as supporting the LGBTQ+ community.

The boycott had a significant impact on Bud Light's sales, with a steep drop in sales reported in the weeks following the controversy. In response to the backlash, Bud Light's parent company, Anheuser-Busch, took a neutral stance and did not publicly support Mulvaney. This led to criticism from some in the LGBTQ+ community, who felt that the company's response was inadequate and did not demonstrate a genuine commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Anheuser-Busch's response to the backlash included placing two executives on leave and increasing marketing spending on Bud Light. The company also offered free beer to employees of its wholesalers. However, the boycott continued for several months, and Bud Light's sales and market share continued to suffer. The brand attempted to pivot to more neutral marketing campaigns, but these were also met with backlash from both conservative and LGBTQ+ consumers.

The Mulvaney-Bud Light controversy highlighted the challenges faced by corporations when navigating polarizing social and political issues. It also raised questions about the effectiveness of LGBTQ+ partnerships and the potential risks of rainbow-washing or performative allyship. The incident demonstrated the need for corporations to carefully consider the potential consequences of their marketing campaigns and to have a clear strategy for responding to backlash.

Kid Rock's response

> Let me say something to all of you and be as clear and concise as possible. Fuck Bud Light, and fuck Anheuser-Busch.

Kid Rock's actions received significant backlash, including from the father of a child who was killed in the 2018 Parkland school shooting. In response to Kid Rock's video, the father, Fred Guttenberg, posted a still from security camera footage of the shooting, with an overlay of his daughter running for safety, and the caption:

> Hey @KidRock, this dad is 'feeling a little frisky today.' This is my daughter Jaime (under the black oval) and these are the students running over her for safety to avoid getting shot by the AR-15 that killed her. FUCK YOU!!!

Kid Rock's actions also drew criticism from fellow musician Jason Isbell, who shared a meme about Coors' LGBTQ+ nondiscrimination policies with the comment:

> This is finally how we get him. Leave no bigoted beers to drink.

Anheuser-Busch's response

Anheuser-Busch's initial response to the backlash was to clarify that the can featuring Dylan Mulvaney's face was a gift to celebrate a personal milestone and was not for sale to the general public. The company also characterised its partnership with Mulvaney as just one of many influencers who allow the brand to "authentically connect with audiences across various demographics and passion points".

As the controversy escalated, Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth released a statement saying: "We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer." Whitworth's statement did not directly address the controversy or show support for Mulvaney, and some criticised the company for failing to stand by its marketing division amid the controversy.

In late April, two Anheuser-Busch marketing executives were placed on leave, and in late May, the company announced a donation of $200,000 to the Communities of Color Initiative under the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce.

In June, Whitworth gave an interview on CBS Mornings in which he pleaded with boycotters not to punish the company's 65,000 employees and emphasised the company's political neutrality, again failing to mention Mulvaney's name.

In August, Anheuser-Busch announced the sale of eight of its beer and beverage companies to a cannabis brand.

The impact on sales

In June, Bud Light suffered its worst week ever, with sales falling 25.7% during the week ending May 20. This put its status as the number one beer brand in the US in jeopardy. The plunge followed a 24.6% decline the previous week, and it was the sixth consecutive week of falling sales.

In the second quarter of 2023, Anheuser-Busch noted a 10.5% decline in US revenue. In the four weeks ending in early September, Bud Light sales were down 27% year on year.

In July, Anheuser-Busch announced it would be laying off 2% of its US workforce—approximately 350 employees.

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