Anheuser-Busch sends free beer to all wholesaler network employees.

Anheuser-Busch Offers Free Beer to Employees After Marketing Blunder

In a disastrous endorsement deal with trans-identifying influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Anheuser-Busch saw sales of Bud Light plummet. To make up for the loss, the company is offering a free case of beer to every employee of its wholesaler network.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

Bump Williams Consulting, which specializes in the alcohol industry, reported that in-store sales of Bud Light dropped 26% in the week ending April 22. The previous week saw a 21% drop, and the week before that, an 11% drop. This marketing blunder has gutted what was once the nation’s top-selling beer brand.

A Broken Compass

Bump Williams, the founder of the consulting firm, said that Anheuser-Busch’s compass is completely broken. “There’s no game plan,” he said. Without a plan to reverse the public relations disaster, “Bud Light is in serious trouble this year.”

A Giveaway as a Viable Plan

The giveaway may just be the only viable plan to get rid of a product that customers are rejecting. The company’s wholesaler network, which consists of many family-run businesses, has been hurt by the disastrous PR stunt and the boycott that has followed.

A Missed Mark

Alissa Heinerscheid, the vice president of marketing at Bud Light, was responsible for the Mulvaney fiasco. Williams said that she missed the mark with her approach. “Her big miss was I don’t think she understood who the core Bud Light shopper was,” he said. “And the Bud Light drinkers said, enough of that.”

A New Vice President of Marketing

Heinerscheid has since taken a leave of absence and has been replaced by Todd Allen, the Budweiser global marketing vice president, according to Anheuser-Busch InBev.

Authentic Connections

“Anheuser-Busch works with hundreds of influencers across our brands as one of many ways to authentically connect with audiences across various demographics,” the company said in a statement. “From time to time, we produce unique commemorative cans for fans and for brand influencers, like Dylan Mulvaney. This commemorative can was a gift to celebrate a personal milestone and is not for sale to the general public.”

What’s Next for Bud Light?

Bar and store owners have reported that customers want nothing to do with Bud Light. Williams said that customers who switch to Michelob Ultra because they don’t want to be seen holding a Bud Light will still be supporting Anheuser-Busch. “Hey, buddy, that’s an Anheuser-Busch product you’re holding,” he said.

• Bud Light sales have plummeted since the company’s endorsement deal with Dylan Mulvaney
• The company is offering a free case of beer to every employee of its wholesaler network
• The marketing blunder has gutted what was once the nation’s top-selling beer brand
• Alissa Heinerscheid, the vice president of marketing at Bud Light, was responsible for the Mulvaney fiasco
• Heinerscheid has been replaced by Todd Allen, the Budweiser global marketing vice president
• Anheuser-Busch works with influencers to authentically connect with audiences
• Customers who switch to Michelob Ultra will still be supporting Anheuser-Busch

Bud Light is in serious trouble this year, and it remains to be seen if the company’s new marketing strategy will be successful in winning back customers.