The CEO of Anheuser-Busch has finally broken silence after a marketing lady made a bad decision to create a partnership between Bud Light and a transgender woman, aka biological male, named Dylan Mulvaney. The move sparked backlash from tons of people in America and across the globe as people have gone so far as to boycott the light drink and even demand an apology for mocking real women.
The CEO, Brendan Whitworth, said the following:
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.
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.
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.
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.
Whitworth’s statements were mocked on social media as being a non-apology public relations tactic that will both please no one while simultaneously ticking off no one as well.
The marketing director tried to explain her decisions for reaching a new audience, despite Bud Light being a top choice among sports fans, parking lot tailgating crowds, happy hour drinkers, and similar people. Bud Light has gone from using models and beer girls to partnering with a guy in women’s clothing, as if there was a lack of real women to choose from, which is why a lot of people pushed back on the poor decision by the marketing lady.
Here’s a video of the Bud Light marketing lady trying to explain her decision.
Photo, cropped: MobiusDaXter, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons