Anheuser-Busch Global Marketing Officer Admits Dylan Mulvaney Partnership Was ‘Wake-Up Call’ But Says ‘Bud Light is Coming Back’
AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
Anheuser-Busch’s Global Chief Marketing Officer Marcel Marcondes admits the recent controversy surrounding Bud Light’s partnership with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney was a “wake-up call” for the company.
Bud Light was the focus of large scale boycotts after they partnered with Mulvaney back in March and since then, the company has been experiencing a dip in sales.
Marcondes spoke about the controversy Monday at the Cannes Lions festival, as reported by Ad Age,
“It’s tough to see the controversial and divisive debates that have been happening in the U.S. in the last couple of weeks involving lots of brands and companies, including and especially Bud Light,” he said. “It’s tough exactly because what we do is all about bringing people together.”
Marcondes said companies and brands should be driven by their values as well as create things that bring people together.
“In times like this, when things get divisive and controversial so easily, I think it’s an important wake-up call to all of us marketers first of all to be very humble. That’s what we’re doing, being very humble, and really reminding ourselves of what we should do best every day, which is to really understand our consumers. Which is to really celebrate and appreciate every consumer that loves our brands—but in a way that can make them be together, not apart,” Marcondes said.
He insisted that the company would be traveling around the country, reconnecting with its customer base.
“That’s what Bud Light stands for — it exists to make beer easy to drink and easy to enjoy. That’s what we all, as a team, will be doing moving forward as a group. That’s what leaders do. Bud Light is coming back. It’s going all around the country, reconnecting with consumers, moving forward. That’s what you can expect from Bud Light in the U.S,” he said.
This comes as the company is attempting to repair their relationships with distributors by providing financial assistance for those impacted by the plummeting beer sales.
According to CNN’s Jordan Valinsky, “The company plans to provide financial assistance to its wholesalers, reimburse fuel for distributors’ trucks and launch a new ad campaign for Bud Light.”
“We recognize that over the last two months, the discussion surrounding our company and Bud Light has moved away from beer, and this has impacted our consumers, our business partners, and our employees. As we move forward, we will focus on what we do best — brewing great beer and earning our place in moments that matter to you.” Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth said last Thursday.
