Anheuser-Busch InBev reported a decline in second-quarter revenue in the United States as Bud Light sales fell amid a conservative backlash to a campaign featuring transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
The world’s largest brewer announced Thursday that revenue in the United States fell 10.5% year on year in the April-June period, “primarily due to the volume decline of Bud Light.”
After over two decades as America’s best-selling beer, it fell to second place in June behind Mexican lager Modelo Especial, which Belgium-based ABInBev also owns.
Bud Light sales fell amid a conservative backlash to a campaign featuring transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
The brand drew backlash after sending a special Bud Light can to Mulvaney, who shared it with her millions of social media followers.
Conservative leaders and others have called for a boycott of Bud Light, while Mulvaney supporters have chastised the beer company for not supporting her. Mulvaney has claimed to have endured abuse and transphobia, and she has chastised the company for failing to reach out to her after the uproar surrounding their partnership.
Overall revenue increased 7.2% year on year in the second quarter, to $15.1 billion, as worldwide brands such as Stella Artois and Corona compensated for the drop in the company’s sales.
It reported a 5% increase in normalized earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization to $4.9 billion.
SOURCE – (AP)
