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Anheuser-Busch Begs for Forgiveness From Retailers by Giving Out 'Free Beer'

Sarah Arnold
Sarah Arnold  |  May 03, 2023 6:45 PM

Anheuser-Busch is begging for forgiveness from wholesale employees in yet another attempt to do damage control as consumers continue to boycott Bud Light after partnering with a transgender influencer. 

To combat a market value decrease of nearly $5 billion, Anheuser-Busch has resorted to giving out cases of free beer to every employee to "make amends" with wholesale distributors who suffered from the controversial partnership with transgender Dylan Mulvaney. 

The company also plans to boost marketing spending and ramp up ad production to earn back the massive sales lost. 

Figures from Bump Williams Consulting reveal that in-store sales fell 26 percent in the week ending April 22. The decline in the week prior was 21 percent, and the week before that, sales fell 11 percent. 

Bump Williams, an alcohol industry analyst, said Bud Light's "compass is completely broken" with "no game plan" in mind after consumers abandoned the beer over its woke deal with Mulvaney. 

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The analyst expects Bud Light to be in "serious trouble" by the end of the year, taking the risk of hurting themselves further if the company does not properly address the issue. 

So far, Anheuser-Busch has not apologized to customers over the partnership, only standing firm in their denial that upper management had no clue the deal with a transgender influencer was being secured. 

The beer company also sent a letter to retailers addressing misconceptions about the partnership with Mulvaney. 

"This can is not a formal campaign or advertisement," the letter reportedly states. "Our new Vice President of Bud Light and all of us at Anheuser-Busch are committed to reminding all of our consumers why they love Bud Light and why they've made it the #1 beer in America."

A customer captured footage from a Sam's Club in Port Huron, Michigan, revealing the effects of Bud Light's poorly executed advertisement choice. 

The video shows the beer aisle at the store with fully packed pallets of beers stocked from Anheuser-Busch. Meanwhile, beers from competitor brands, such as Coors Light, have almost sold out.