Angry Customers Boycotting Bud Light Haven't Meaningfully Impacted Sales, Says Anheuser-Busch CEO AB InBev CEO Michel Doukeris addressed the controversy on an earnings call.
By Amanda Breen Edited by Jessica Thomas
Key Takeaways
- The U.S. decline in sales is negligible in the context of global volume.
- Bud Light has resumed traditional advertising and kicked off a summer campaign.
It seems the backlash against Anheuser-Busch-owned Bud Light for its partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney isn't as detrimental to the company's sales as some might believe.
Anheuser-Busch InBev CEO Michel Doukeris addressed the controversy's impact on an earnings call, saying that although he didn't want to "minimize" it, the dip in Bud Light's U.S. sales during the first few weeks of April accounted for just 1% of the company's total global volumes for that period, TheStreet reported.
Related: Bud Light Dons 'Star of Death' at Costco After Mulvaney Backlash
Even though Bud Light lost its title as America's top-selling beer to Modelo in May and Costco appears to have stamped its cases with the "star of death" ahead of a likely pull from shelves, Doukeris stressed that any consequences from the social media promotion will not have a lasting effect on the company.
"With this perspective, and in the context of our global business, we believe we have the experience, the resources and the partners to manage this," Doukeris said on the call. "And our full-year EBITDA growth outlook is unchanged."
Bud Light has resumed its traditional advertising and even kicked off its "biggest summer campaign ever," per the company, complete with an "Easy to Summer" commercial set to "Good Times" by Chic and other giveaways and promotions.
Related: Bud Light Offers Rebate for July Fourth, Basically Free Beer
"We continue to be committed to the programs and partnerships that we have forged over decades with our consumers and with organizations that represent a wide range of communities where we operate," Doukeris said, per TheStreet. "We work every day to delight our consumers and bring people together. When we do this well, our brands perform."
