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Anheuser-Busch CEO breaks company’s silence but falls short with angry consumers: ‘Where’s the apology?’

April 15, 2023 | | Print Article

The backlash against alcoholic beverage giant Anheuser-Busch over its controversial decision to take sides in the culture war by partnering with transgender TikTok influencer Dylan Mulvaney has cost the company billions of dollars as outraged consumers have boycotted its popular Bud Light brand and on Friday, its CEO broke his silence in an effort to stop the bleeding that may be too little, too late.

It could be that the ill-conceived decision to hook up with Mulvaney was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back, with millions of Americans who have been force-fed the celebration of the transgender lifestyle by “woke” corporations that have gotten away from the longstanding principle of avoiding taking political stances that were likely to alienate customers and messing with their beer was a bridge too far.

With the angry reaction showing no signs of subsiding and the company hemorrhaging money as celebrities speak out and stores and distributors are stuck with cases and cases of products that may end up being dumped if not sold by their expiration date, Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth issued a statement touting the company’s long history and devotion to its employees along with a lame mea culpa that it never meant to divide people.

“As the CEO of a company founded in America’s heartland more than 165 years ago, I am responsible for ensuring every consumer feels proud of the beer we brew,” Whitworth began. “We’re honored to be part of the fabric of this country.”

“Anheuser-Busch employs more than 18,000 people and our independent distributors employ an additional 47,000 valued colleagues. We have thousands of partners, millions of fans and a proud history supporting our communities, military, first responders, sports fans and hard-working Americans everywhere,” the CEO said. “We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer.”

“My time serving this country taught me the importance of accountability and the values upon which America was founded: freedom, hard work and respect for one another. As CEO of Anheuser-Busch, I am focused on building and protecting our remarkable history and heritage,” he added. “I care deeply about this country, this company, our brands and our partners. I spend much of my time traveling across America, listening to and learning from our customers, distributors and others. Moving forward, I will continue to work tirelessly to bring great beers to consumers across our nation.”

Reactions to Whitworth’s statement from Twitter users are an indication that it not may be so easy to simply move on and that the damage to the company and its products may be long-lasting.

The controversial brand ambassador drew strong reactions from several musicians including country music star Travis Tritt who announced that he was banning all of the company’s products from his tour and encouraged others to do likewise.

Rock and roll legend Ted Nugent called it “the epitome of cultural deprivation in an ongoing tsunami of cultural deprivation,” and Kid Rock posted a viral video of him blasting cases of Bud Light to smithereens with a semi-automatic rifle.

(Video: The Daily Mail)

The idea to bring in the creepy Mulvaney to pimp Bud Light has been laid squarely at the feet of vice president of marketing Alissa Heinerscheid, a product of Ivy League snob factory Harvard University who sought to reboot the brand which she dismissed as being “out of touch” and “fratty” only to make a decision that will likely serve as a textbook example of a catastrophic error of judgment that will be taught in business classes for decades to come.

That Anheuser-Busch even had to put out a statement is a clear sign that the boycotts are hitting them where it hurts and could cause other corporations to rethink their plans to evangelize for the “woke” cause.

 

Chris Donaldson
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