How Bud Light's Dylan Mulvaney debacle has left Anheuser-Busch paralyzed: Company 'never expected' backlash and is now TRAPPED as it refuses to disavow partnership OR stand up to critics, PR expert says

Daily Mail UK ^ | 09:37 EDT, 14 April 2023 | By KEITH GRIFFITH

[Red Badger]

* Anheuser-Busch has remained mostly silent since controversy exploded April 1

* Company's social media accounts have fallen dormant for nearly two weeks

***************************************************

Bud Light parent company Anheuser-Busch appears to be trapped between a rock and a hard place as it grapples with polarization over its paid partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

Since the controversy emerged on April 1, Bud Light and Anheuser-Busch's main social media accounts have fallen silent, despite major sporting events of the kind the brand typically chimes in on.

Aside from an initial terse statement, Anheuser-Busch has also ignored media requests on the issue. Last week, a Missouri distributor canceled an event featuring the famed Budweiser Clydesdales, citing safety concerns.

'They never expected the reaction that they got,' said Gareth Boyd, a marketing and PR expert with Forte Analytica, speaking to DailyMail.com on Thursday as an industry observer. 'Right now, if they respond and they don't get it right, they're only going to further hurt themselves.'

'I think they're probably trying to avoid talking about it, hoping and praying that it will go away, but it's probably the worst thing you could possibly do,' he added.

As the company remained on the sidelines, the controversy took on a bizarre life of its own, with musician Kid Rock posting a video of himself shooting at cases of Bud Light, and country singers John Rich and Travis Tritt publicly denouncing the brand.

And there has been backlash to the backlash, with shock jock Howard Stern slamming the fury at Bud Light as overblown, and podcaster Joe Rogan calling the conservative outrage over Mulvaney 'goofy.'

Anheuser-Busch is led by US CEO Brendan Whitworth, a former Marine lieutenant, CIA officer, and Harvard Business School graduate, who joined A-B in 2014

[Red Badger]

[ConservativeInPA]

Eff their piss water. Go woke, and real Americans will make them go broke. There needs to be a 180 degree change of course in corporate America. Make AB an example, and then move to the next target.

[unixfox]

'They never expected the reaction that they got,'

Really? What reaction did you think you would get?

I would fire this dumb son-of-a-bitch in 2 seconds.

[crusty old prospector]

Double down on stupid. That will work.

[teeman8r]

here, hold by beer.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Would it have been better to have played the lumberjack song in the background???

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=70Npi6PccBk

[Vigilanteman]

Wokism is like the Hotel California or the Democrat Party Plantation. You can check in anytime you like, but you can never leave.

[Vaduz]

Harvard Business School graduate

I think I found the problem.

[BrexitBen]

Great !

Now, add NIKE, Jack Daniels, Hershey’s Chocolate, and Gillette Razors to the list of WOKE purveyors.