Bud Light was once America’s go-to light beer, but it has become the textbook example of how corporate activism can backfire. In 2023 the brand partnered with Dylan Mulvaney, a TikTok influencer known for documenting a gender transition. The promotion was meant to celebrate inclusivity, but instead it alienated much of Bud Light’s core customer base. Sales plummeted, shelf space shrank, and the brand that once topped beer charts became the butt of countless jokes.
Bud Light’s embrace of LGBTQ-focused campaigns highlighted how out of touch executives had become with the people who actually buy their product. Instead of refreshing marketing, customers saw a lecture in a can. The result was billions in lost market value and a case study for every other company on how not to mix politics with beer.
For anyone who still wants a cold one without the side of activism, check our list of alternative brews that put taste before politics.
