Trans Can Sparks Fury: Bud Light Takes A Big Risk On Dylan Mulvaney

Social media users were left infuriated after trans activist Dylan Mulvaney was announced as a brand partner of Bud Light. At first, many thought it was just an April Fool’s Day joke when Mulvaney announced the partnership along with promotional video clips. But the outrage was all too real when a spokesperson from Bud Light’s parent company, Anheuser-Busch, confirmed it.

Mulvaney’s video for the beer company’s March Madness contest promoting a chance to win $15,000 featured the influencer dressed as Audrey Hepburn from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” while taking sips of Bud Light and jokingly claiming to not know what March Madness is. Mulvaney attracted further backlash for a separate video that showed the influencer frolicking in a bathtub with a tower of Bud Light cans. The hashtag #budlightpartner was included in both videos.

Mulvaney is famous for the TikTok video series “Days of Girlhood.” Over the past year, the trans activist has accumulated brand partnerships with companies such as KitchenAid, ASOS, and MAC Cosmetics. However, the choice of a biological male who identifies as a young girl drew harsh criticism on social media.

A spokesperson for Anheuser-Busch confirmed that Mulvaney had received a personalized can as a gift to commemorate a personal milestone but it was not available for sale to the general public. The backlash on social media, with many calling for a boycott of the beer company, was swift.

Interestingly, this is not the first instance of Bud Light marketing to the LGBTQ+ community. The beer brand partnered with GLAAD for Pride Month in 2019 to sell alcohol in special rainbow bottles. The company also made recent changes to its marketing efforts and its leadership team, promoting the first woman to ever hold position of VP of Marketing for Bud Light, Alissa Heinerscheid. Whether Mulvaney’s partnership with the beer company will pay off remains to be seen.