Staff Reports
Bud Light, the once thriving brand that was a staple at every college party and tailgate, continues to face steep declines in sales. The company’s latest efforts to convince Americans to drink their beer haven’t been too successful. Bud Light’s CEO, amidst widespread backlash against the brand’s recent advertisements and sponsorship deals, has pleaded with the American people, saying “We hear you.” He says the company wants to focus on bringing people together over a cold one.
The sales figures paint an ominous picture. Bud Light has suffered a massive 28.5% drop in sales for the week ending June 17, compared to the same period the year before. This trend follows similar declines in the preceding weeks as well. According to industry experts at Bump Williams Consulting and NielsenIQ, Budweiser, Busch Light, Michelob Ultra are also showing a decline, and losing their place in the marketplace to the likes of Modelo, Miller Lite and Coors Light.
What’s causing this free fall in sales? Bud Light’s vocal promotion of same-sex events such as LGBTQ pride parades seems to have put-off their traditional customer base. Recent sponsorship deal with the Toronto Pride parade drew widespread condemnation from American beer drinkers, with legions of customers stating their anger across social media platforms. They even called for a boycott of the brand.
The worst part? The management seems to be grasping at straws with their recent marketing efforts. They tried to offer Memorial Day rebates that ended up being a complete and utter failure. Their latest attempt is promoting the Bud Knight- bringing back the past – in the hope of winning back their lost customers. But this strategy failed spectacularly, and the messages that followed proved that people are not going to fall for the same old tricks. The Bud Light brand is hurting, and all of their efforts to make themselves the cool beer company amongst the younger generations have fallen flat.
We can draw a clear conclusion from all this: Bud Light has become a pariah brand. They have alienated their traditional customer base and failed to make new ones among the younger generations. It remains to be seen if they will be able to turn the tide and win back their customers, but as things stand, their future doesn’t seem too bright.
You traded your codpiece for yoga pants, your helmet for sunscreen, your gauntlets for opera gloves, and your plackart for a sports bra.
I'm thinking you're done.
— Schadenfreudelish (@aggierican) June 26, 2023
Source: Red State
