Bud Light is no longer the best-selling beer in America after the boycott
Bud Light has been dethroned as the country’s top-selling beer in recent weeks, a data analytics firm said, a sign that the backlash the brewer received from conservatives over its relationship with a transgender influencer may be taking its toll.
At number 1 is Modelo Especial, a Mexican beer made by Constellation Brands, accounting for 8.4 percent of U.S. retail beer sales in the four weeks ended June 3, according to Nielsen IQ data analyzed by the consulting firm Bump Willems. Bud Light sales fell to 7.3 percent over the same period.
The move follows a conservative-led boycott against Bud Light that began after Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender influencer, posted a video to Instagram on April 1 promoting a Bud Light contest. Bud Light’s share of retail sales has fallen by about three percent since the start of the boycott.
Sales began to fall after commentators and celebrities on the right began protesting. Anheuser-Busch, the maker of Bud Light, later announced the departure of two marketing executives, but the company’s attempt to come back drew more criticism, this time from liberals and members of the LGBTQ community.
The controversy has drawn attention to the challenges brands and retailers such as Adidas and Target have faced in marketing to LGBTQ consumers in a polarized political environment.
Anheuser-Busch did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“Bud Light’s missteps felt like a betrayal to both his liberal and conservative clients, and it will take months, if not years, to rebuild that trust,” said Daniel Korschun, an associate professor of marketing in the University’s LeBow College of Business. from Drexel.
Bud Light sales hovered around 10 percent of U.S. retail beer sales until the four weeks ending April 22, when it fell to 8.7 percent, and have been trending downward ever since. Modelo, Coors Light and Miller Lite each saw bumps in their share of the retail beer market over the same period.
Research has shown that the effects of boycotts are often short-lived. Bud Light has dominated the market for the past two decades, but has faced stiff competition in recent years, said Dave Williams, vice president of analytics and insights at Bump Williams.
“I can’t recall any other brand that has surpassed Bud Light in recent years, although brands like Modelo Especial and Michelob Ultra have certainly been on an upward trend and have done their best to narrow the gap between themselves and Bud Light,” said Mr. Williams. in an email.
Bud Light continues to have a strong foothold in the US beer market. Based on year-to-date data, it is still the top-selling beer in the United States. It also sells more beer by volume than any other brand.
The data analyzed was for out-of-store sales only, meaning that beer purchases in bars and restaurants are not taken into account.