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With New Ad, Maybelline Tells Bud Light to Hold Its Beer

Leah Barkoukis
Leah Barkoukis  |  July 14, 2023 11:00 AM

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. 

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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.