Anheuser-Busch Announces Layoffs Following Bud Light Boycott

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Anheuser-Busch announced Wednesday (July 26) that they will be implementing layoffs that will include corporate staff at its U.S. offices.

Anheuser-Busch, the parent company of Bud Light, continues to feel the effects of the months-long boycott following the brand’s partnership with transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney in early April. On Wednesday, a company spokesperson said that  the restructuring “will simplify and reduce layers within its organization.” They added that layoffs will not include “brewery and warehouse staff, drivers, and field sales, among others.”

 

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In a statement to the Associated Press, Anheuser-Busch stated that the layoffs represent less than 2% of the company’s U.S. employees. It’s website states that more than 19,000 people makeup their nationwide employee roster, making the layoff count just shy of 400.

“Today we took the very difficult but necessary decision to eliminate a number of positions across our corporate organization,” said Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth. “While we never take these decisions lightly, we want to ensure that our organization continues to be set for future long-term success.”

The news comes just weeks after Bud Light was dethroned as America’s top-selling beer, a title it had held for more than two decades.

Bud Light’s stocks continue to tumble as brands like Modelo Especial take over the American beer market. For the month ending July 15, Bud Light’s U.S. sales were down 26.5%, while Modelo’s grew by 13.5%. Bud Light held a 6.8% share of the U.S. beer market during that time, while Modelo held an 8.7% share.

What is the Bud Light Boycott?

The Bud Light Boycott is the result of the brand’s partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Bud Light’s parent company, Anheuser-Busch, recruited Mulvaney to promote the company’s March Madness contest. Mulvaney, who boasts 1.7 million Instagram followers, posted a video announcing the partnership on April 1, 2023, with a clip of the influencer sipping a Bud Light and showing off a can the company made featuring her face.

Within days, celebrities like Kid Rock, Travis Tritt, John Rich and others blasted the company for the marketing decision. The outcry ultimately led to a boycott that quickly impacted Bud Light’s U.S. sales.

READ MORE ABOUT THE BUD LIGHT BOYCOTT AND CELEBRITY RESPONSE

Hear Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth talk about the company’s response to the boycott and its strategy moving forward in the video below.