Editing Anheuser-Busch (section)

=== 2023 Bud Light boycott ===
{{Main|2023 Bud Light boycott}}
[[File:WSJ bud light data.jpg|thumb|Top beer brands in the U.S. the first half of 2023]]
On April 2, 2023, Anheuser-Busch's brand [[Bud Light]] started facing a [[boycott]],<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Stewart |first=Emily |date=2023-04-12 |title=The Bud Light boycott, explained as much as is possible |url=https://www.vox.com/money/2023/4/12/23680135/bud-light-boycott-dylan-mulvaney-travis-tritt-trans |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=Vox|archive-date=April 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426130119/https://www.vox.com/money/2023/4/12/23680135/bud-light-boycott-dylan-mulvaney-travis-tritt-trans |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Floyd |first1=Thomas |last2=Selk |first2=Avi |date=April 15, 2023 |title=Bud Light chief says he 'never intended' boycott over trans star Dylan Mulvaney |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2023/04/15/bud-light-apology-letter/ |access-date=April 17, 2023 |newspaper=The Washington Post |issn=0190-8286 |archive-date=April 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415215802/https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2023/04/15/bud-light-apology-letter/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-25 |title=Anti-trans backlash against Bud Light has executives on the hot seat. What's going on? |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2023-04-25/anti-transgender-backlash-against-bud-light-explained |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=Los Angeles Times|archive-date=April 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230427015158/https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2023-04-25/anti-transgender-backlash-against-bud-light-explained |url-status=live}}</ref> after partnering with [[transgender]] influencer and activist [[Dylan Mulvaney]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Aleks |date=2023-04-03 |title=Bud Light faces boycott over trans activist partnership: 'Never drink it' |url=https://www.newsweek.com/bud-light-faces-boycott-trans-activist-partnership-dylan-mulvaney-1792192 |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=Newsweek|archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406142822/https://www.newsweek.com/bud-light-faces-boycott-trans-activist-partnership-dylan-mulvaney-1792192 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Dodgson |first=Lindsay |date=April 6, 2023 |title=Conservatives called for a boycott of Bud Light after it partnered with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney. The company stood by its choice. |url=https://www.insider.com/bud-light-stands-by-dylan-mulvaney-after-conservative-backlash-trans-2023-4 |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=Insider|archive-date=April 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417233926/https://www.insider.com/bud-light-stands-by-dylan-mulvaney-after-conservative-backlash-trans-2023-4 |url-status=live}}</ref> Alissa Heinerscheid, the vice president of marketing behind the campaign,<ref>{{cite web |last=Durbin |first=Dee-Ann |date=2023-04-26 |title=Bud Light fumbles, but experts say inclusive ads will stay |url=https://apnews.com/article/bud-light-transgender-dylan-mulvaney-nike-2fe1425ba09a3f0e271fda0ae4b67434 |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=AP News|archive-date=April 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426214358/https://apnews.com/article/bud-light-transgender-dylan-mulvaney-nike-2fe1425ba09a3f0e271fda0ae4b67434 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=April 26, 2023 |title=Bud Light fumbles, but experts say inclusive ads will stay |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/bud-light-fumbles-experts-say-inclusive-ads-will-stay-rcna81584 |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=NBC News|archive-date=April 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230427001819/https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/bud-light-fumbles-experts-say-inclusive-ads-will-stay-rcna81584 |url-status=live}}</ref> took a leave of absence on April 21, 2023.<ref>{{cite news |last=Telford |first=Taylor |date=April 22, 2023 |title=Bud Light's attempt to market to new customers alienated old ones |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/04/22/bud-light-brand-identity-dylan-mulvaney/ |access-date=April 27, 2023 |issn=0190-8286 |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422111350/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/04/22/bud-light-brand-identity-dylan-mulvaney/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Holpuch |first1=Amanda |last2=Creswell |first2=Julie |date=2023-04-25 |title=2 Executives Are on Leave After Bud Light Promotion With Transgender Influencer|work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/25/business/bud-light-dylan-mulvaney.html |access-date=2023-04-27 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=April 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230427000358/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/25/business/bud-light-dylan-mulvaney.html |url-status=live}}</ref> She was replaced by Budweiser Global Marketing VP Todd Allen.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-04-22 |title=Bud Light Marketing Executive Takes Leave After Controversy: Ad Age|work=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-22/bud-light-marketing-exec-takes-leave-after-controversy-ad-age |access-date=2023-04-22 |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422070303/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-22/bud-light-marketing-exec-takes-leave-after-controversy-ad-age |url-status=live}}</ref>

On May 10, 2023, [[HSBC]] downgraded [[AB InBev|Anheuser-Busch InBev]] stock as it dealt with a "Bud Light crisis".<ref name="nbcnews.com">{{Cite web |title=HSBC downgrades Anheuser-Busch InBev as it deals with a 'Bud Light crisis' |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/hsbc-downgrades-anheuser-busch-inbev-deals-bud-light-crisis-rcna83778 |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=NBC News |date=May 10, 2023|archive-date=May 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230510182742/https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/hsbc-downgrades-anheuser-busch-inbev-deals-bud-light-crisis-rcna83778 |url-status=live}}</ref> Analysts at [[HSBC]] cited "deeper problems than ABI admits" after the partnership with Mulvaney resulted in a wave of backlash and a boycott. The analyst cited a Beer Marketer's Insights note that showed a steep drop in beer sales "of maybe more than 25%" in April.<ref name="nbcnews.com"/>

On June 13, 2023, ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' reported that Bud Light lost the title as the top-selling U.S. beer, with [[Grupo Modelo|Modelo Especial]]  in May taking the top sales spot.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Maloney |first=Jennifer |date=2023-06-13 |title=Bud Light Loses Title as Top-Selling U.S. Beer|work=Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/bud-light-modelo-best-selling-beer-6a4d6b27 |access-date=2023-06-14 |issn=0099-9660}}</ref>

[[Yahoo! Finance]], on July 10, 2023, reported a recent [[YouGov]] survey's findings that Bud Light's popularity among American beer brands dropped to the 14th position.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-10 |title=Bud Light Plummets To 14th Place Among Beers As Anheuser-Busch CEO Pleads For Consumers To Think Of The 65,000 Employees Impacted By Boycotts |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bud-light-plummets-14th-place-210130892.html |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=Yahoo Finance}}</ref>

On July 26, 2023, the [[The Wall Street Journal|Wall Street Journal]] reported that Anheuser-Busch laid off hundreds of workers at its U.S. sales offices after months of slumping sales at Bud Light.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Yeung |first=Ngai |date=2023-07-27 |title=Bud Light Brewer Lays Off Hundreds of U.S. Workers|work=Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/bud-light-brewer-lays-off-hundreds-of-u-s-workers-4cddf7d6 |access-date=2023-07-27 |issn=0099-9660}}</ref>

Anheuser-Busch reported in its second quarter earnings, on August 3, 2023, that its revenue in the United States fell more than 10 percent in the second quarter, versus the same period last year, “primarily due to the volume decline of Bud Light.” Operating profit at the U.S. unit dropped by nearly 30 percent.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-08-03 |title=Fall in Bud Light Sales Puts Dent in Beer Maker's Earnings |work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/03/business/bud-light-sales-decline.html |access-date=2023-08-03 |last1=Moreno |first1=J. Edward}}</ref>

On February 29, 2024, [[CNN Business]] reported, Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest brewer, experienced a significant financial hit, potentially losing up to $1.4 billion in sales. This loss was attributed to the controversy and subsequent boycott of Bud Light in the United States, following the sponsored [[Instagram]] post featuring the transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, which notably impacted the company's overall growth and beer sales volume in [[North America]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ziady |first=Hanna |date=2024-02-29 |title=Bud Light boycott likely cost Anheuser-Busch InBev over $1 billion in lost sales |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/29/business/bud-light-boycott-ab-inbev-sales/index.html |access-date=2024-02-29 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref>