Country music singer John Rich said he removed cases of Bud Light from his Nashville bar as part of a boycott against the Anheuser-Busch brand for its partnership with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney in a polarizing promotional campaign.
“Customers decide. Customers are king,” Rich said Monday on “Tucker Carlson Tonight.” “I own a bar in downtown Nashville. Our number one selling beer up until a few days ago was what? Bud Light. We have cases and cases and cases of it there But the last few days you’re having a hard time finding someone ordering one. So as a business owner, I say, hey if you don’t order it, we have to put something on. other here. In the end, it’s capitalism. That’s how it works.
The beer maker sparked a firestorm earlier this month when it celebrated Mulvaney’s “365 days of youth”, by sending bespoke cans to Mulvaney with the influencer’s face. Mulvaney said the cans were her “most prized possession” on Instagram with a post featuring “#budlightpartner.” A video later featured Mulvaney in a bathtub drinking a Bud Light beer as part of the campaign.
BUD LIGHT’S PACT WITH TRANS ACTIVIST DYLAN MULVANEY PROVOKS OUTRAGE AND PRAISE
A photo of the Bud Light commemorative can featuring TikTok influencer Dylan Mulvaney. (Dylan Mulvaney/Instagram)
The ad was met with widespread criticism, with some Twitter users describing the ad campaign as the latest attempt to push gender propaganda. Many have mocked Bud Light over the partnership. Kid Rock even used several bud light target cases in a viral video echoing calls to boycott the brand.
Rich, the founder of Redneck Riviera, a popular bar and restaurant in Nashville, last week asked his Twitter followers to weigh in on replacement suggestions after removing Bud Light from his bar.
BUD LIGHT PARTNERS WITH TRANS ACTIVIST DYLAN MULVANEY FOR MARCH MADNESS: ‘THIS IS NOT A PARODY’
John Rich during an appearance on the Greg Gutfeld show. (Courtesy of Fox News)
“It’s their right to market it however they want. They’re betting [that] it’s going to sell more products,” Rich said. other brands they can support. There are tons of up-and-coming American brands that people are flocking to, much like mine.”
Bud Light VP of Marketing Alissa Heinerscheid seemingly defended the controversial marketing move in a recent interview with the podcast “Make yourself at home”, where she said she was inspired to update the beer company’s “fratty” and “out of touch” humor with inclusivity.
“I’m a businesswoman, I had a very clear job to do when I took over Bud Light, and it was ‘This brand is in decline, it’s been in decline for a very long time, and if we don’t not attract young drinkers to come and drink this brand there will be no future for light bud,“, said Heinerscheid.
Bud Light Vice President Alissa Heinerscheid explains how she brought her personal values to the Bud Light brand. (podcast Make yourself at home)
THE the beer company also defended the partnership.
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“Anheuser-Busch works with hundreds of influencers across our brands as one of many ways to authentically connect with audiences of different demographics. 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,” an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson told Fox News. .
Fox News’ Alexander Hall contributed to this report.