Bud Light has faced a massive boycott since April after the brand partnered with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney and celebrated what he claimed was “365 days of girlhood.” Since then, sales have been down double digits, Mexican lager Modelo Especial dethroned Bud Light in May and June as America’s top-selling beer, and parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev’s market cap dropped more than $27 billion. While the company has undertaken many efforts to drive sales, AB CEO Brendan Whitworth never apologized, meaning many former customers will continue choosing its competitors.
Typically, when a brand makes such a disastrous move that’s hurting its bottom line, other companies take note and avoid the same mistake. But in the age of ESG, that’s not the case.
Maybelline has told Bud Light to hold its beer.
Not long after the cosmetics brand partnered with Mulvaney, Maybelline rolled out Ryan Vita, a bald and bearded man, to promote its lipstick for Amazon Prime Day.
The ad got plenty of negative responses on social media.
Maybe he’s born with it…maybe it’s Maybelline.
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) July 13, 2023
The new face of Maybelline…
pic.twitter.com/ZZN5f0otQ8
Then: Now: pic.twitter.com/xpoW6NUTF3
— Jobu Cerrano (@BostonSportsHb) July 13, 2023
Maybelline wants to go broke. https://t.co/xw2E547H3K
— Dr. Anastasia Maria Loupis (@DrLoupis) July 13, 2023
Womanhood is not a costume.#BoycottMaybelline https://t.co/aZSIdfDwGL
— Amber Krabach (@AK4WA) July 13, 2023
Whether the brand will face a boycott like Bud Light all depends on if women will actually take a stand beyond complaining on social media.
As Matt Walsh argued in response to the Target boycott, many more women need to become involved to make a difference.
It’s up to conservative women to make the Target boycott work. If you guys mobilize, you could crush Target. It’s up to you.
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) May 23, 2023
Trans ideology has invaded women’s sports, women’s bathrooms, women’s cosmetic lines, and the stores where women shop. I don’t think women should be left alone to deal with it, and I haven’t left them alone, but we need more of them in the fight. A lot more.
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) May 23, 2023
