Global Courant
STORY: Bud Light is no longer the best-selling beer in America.
Sales fell nearly 25% in May, placing the drink at No. 2 behind new beer champion Modelo Especial.
That’s according to data from Nielsen analyzed by consulting firm Bump Williams.
Bud Light’s fall comes after the brand was caught in the crosshairs of the culture wars, as sales plummeted after a social media promotion in April featuring transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
Conservatives called for a boycott of Bud Light, leading parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev to send two marketing executives on leave — a move that angered liberals who believed the company had caved in to outside political pressure.
The controversy extended to country music star Garth Brooks, who was criticized by some conservatives on social media after saying at an awards show that his new Nashville bar would continue to sell Bud Light.
Brooks responded on his livestream show by saying (quote) “Everyone has their opinion. But inclusivity will always be with me.”
Meanwhile, sales of Modelo Especial, owned by Constellation Brands, rose more than 10% in May, pushing it to the top spot.
Shares of Constellation were flat during Wednesday trading, while Anheuser-Busch was up more than 2%.
Bud Light as the top beer in the US after Mulvaney backlash
Asia Region News ,Next Big Thing in Public Knowledg
