Last month, Bud Light faced massive backlash after the beer brand partnered with transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney, leading many people and sports bans to boycott the iconic pregame tailgate beer as a result. And now, the CEO of Anheuser-Busch is finally discussing the controversy.
During an interview with CBS Mornings this week, Anheuser-Busch Brendan Whitworth opened up about the controversy, admitting that “the conversation has become divisive.”
“It’s been a challenging few weeks. I think the conversation surrounding Bud Light has moved away from beer, and the conversation has become divisive,” Whitworth said. “And Bud Light really doesn’t belong there. Bud Light should be all about bringing people together.”
In response to recent controversy, @AnheuserBusch CEO Brendan Whitworth tells CBS Mornings that his company will continue to support the LGBTQ community.
He did not directly answer the questions of whether the promotional campaign with a transgender influencer was a mistake. pic.twitter.com/19PXJQkoem
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) June 28, 2023
While Whitworth did not give a clear answer on whether or not he would have partnered with Mulvaney in retrospect, he did make it clear that Bud Light will continue to support the LGBTQ community.
“Bud Light has supported the LGBTQ since 1998, so that’s 25 years. And as we’ve said from the beginning, we’ll continue to support the communities and organizations that we’ve supported for decades,” he said. “But as we move forward, you know, we want to focus on what we do best, which is brewing great beer for everyone. Listening to our consumers, being humble and listening to them, making sure that we do right by our employees, take care of and support our partners, and ultimately make an impact in the communities that we serve.”
