Anheuser-Busch launched a new marketing campaign Wednesday, the same day CEO Brendan Whitworth went on national television and declined to say if collaborating with a transgender star to market Bud Light was a mistake.
In an interview on CBS Mornings, Whitworth said that the conversation around Bud Light has "moved away from beer" in the weeks since transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney posted a video promoting the brand in April. Bud Light sales have plummeted after individuals offended by the partnership called for a boycott in protest. In May, Modelo overtook the A-B beer for the top-selling spot.
Months after the video, the company continues to face questions about where the beer maker stands on LGBTQ+ rights. Whitworth said Bud Light has become part of a divisive conversation, one that Bud Light does not belong in.
