“‘We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer.’”
Anheuser-Busch’s chief executive on Friday appeared to respond to the conservative-media backlash to Bud Light’s partnership with a trans influencer, in a statement that contained few specifics but noted the “importance of accountability.”
“We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people,” CEO Brendan Whitworth said in the statement. “We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer.”
“My time serving this country taught me the importance of accountability and the values upon which America was founded: freedom, hard work and respect for one another,” the statement continued. “As CEO of Anheuser-Busch, I am focused on building and protecting our remarkable history and heritage.”
The statement did not mention the influencer, Dylan Mulvaney, by name. It noted that Anheuser-Busch has “thousands of partners, millions of fans and a proud history supporting our communities, military, first responders, sports fans and hard-working Americans everywhere.”
On social media, the statement, which did not contain a direct apology, appeared to disappoint both liberals and conservatives — the latter of whom appeared to be hoping for one. U.S.-listed shares of Anheuser-Busch’s parent company, the Belgium-based Anheuser-Busch InBev
BUD,
ABI,
were unchanged after hours.
The anger from the right stemmed from videos Mulvaney posted on social media promoting Bud Light. Many conservatives on social platforms quickly called for a boycott, with some of them posting video showing the destruction of Bud Light. Analysts have said any impact from those calls is likely to be short-lived. And they note that the beer industry has struggled amid rising interest in self-care and alcohol alternatives.
When reached for comment, the LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD referred to a statement it put out prior to the one from Anheuser-Busch’s CEO.
“Including our community in marketing is nothing new, but what is new is the extreme right-wing politicization of a company’s creative and business decisions,” GLAAD Chief Executive Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement. “Companies will not end the standard business practice of including diverse people in ads and marketing because a small number of loud, fringe anti-LGBTQ activists make noise on social media.”
