Bud Light Response to Dylan Mulvaney Strife Called 'Massive Blunder'

Bud Light and its parent company Anheuser-Busch have continued to face an array of scrutiny following the partnership with Dylan Mulvaney, and some experts have seen the company's response as a failure.

On April 1, Mulvaney, a transgender influencer and activist, posted a video on Instagram showcasing a custom Bud Light can that she received to promote her year's transition to becoming a woman. A few days later, a spokesperson for Anheuser-Busch told Newsweek that the company "works with hundreds of influencers across our brands as one of many ways to authentically connect with audiences across various demographics."

The company then stayed silent for several days and Bud Light CEO Brendan Whitworth said in a statement that the beer brand "never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer."

The responses from Anheuser-Busch and Bud Light did not thwart criticism or calls to boycott, and experts told Newsweek that responding earlier on in the ongoing controversy may have been beneficial.

Brad Horn, a Professor of Practice, Public Relations at Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Public Communications told Newsweek that "from a crisis response [standpoint], timeliness matters."

"The first instance of when this became an issue, meaning the first instance you know this is more than just some level of customer dissatisfaction...there should have been a brought in response that was timely and it supported the values for which the organization stood for," Horn told Newsweek. "The response clearly should have said, 'We believe that Bud Light is a product to be enjoyed by all and so we stand by our decision to empower influencers from every area of life to become as inclusive and diverse as we can.'"

When asked if the response by Bud Light and Anheuser-Busch was a massive blunder, Horn said "entirely," adding that "it's not to say that the criticism of the decision wouldn't be there, but doing business in 2023, particularly at the large corporate level, means you have to understand the consequences of those decisions and so Bud Light should have been prepared as a brand for an active crisis response if in fact, this type of backlash arose and they obviously have not handled it in a way that aligns with an organization that seems to have a plan for defending its own decision."

Similarly, Eric Schiffer, Chairman of Reputation Management Consultants, told Newsweek on Wednesday that Bud Light "could have moved even faster, which would have shortened the cycle."

Horn also told Newsweek that following Bud Light's decision to partner with Mulvaney, it was in their "best interest" to "stand behind that."

"You got all of this backlash that has time to grow and this organization that's silent," Horn said. "If they responded on April 5 or April 7, with the support of this decision and the support for all communities to enjoy Bud Light, they then get their voice into this. They get the ability to respond, they get the ability to manage their decision."

Looking forward, Schiffer told Newsweek that the current backlash Bud Light is facing will "have residual revenue carnage for a while."

"But Bud Light will be back powered by the firm's strategic tact, a massive ad budget, and fading memories of its audience who believe the brand ultimately fixed things," Schiffer added.

Horn told Newsweek that the length of the controversy will "depend on the response by Bud Light."

"Trust has been violated and as a brand that's the hardest social capital to regain. So how Bud Light positions itself moving forward will really determine the significant impact," Horn said.

Newsweek reached out to Anheuser-Busch via email for further comment.