2 executives on leave after Bud Light collaboration with transgender influencer stirs backlash
A company spokesperson said Bud Light's VP of Marketing took a leave of absence after she was targeted by conservative pundits.
ST. LOUIS (KABC) -- Two Anheuser-Busch executives took a "leave of absence" following the backlash that unraveled over a partnership between the company and a transgender influencer, which has since been drawing cries for boycotts.
A company spokesperson said Bud Light's Vice President of Marketing took a leave of absence after she was targeted by conservative pundits.
The partnership between the beer brand and Dylan Mulvaney, who has more than 10.8 million followers on social media, hit the internet on April 1.
That's when Mulvaney posted a video on Instagram showing herself cracking open a can of Bud Light, one with the hashtag #budlightpartner.
Earlier this month, Bud Light said, "Anheuser-Busch works with hundreds of influencers across our brands as one of many ways to authentically connect with audiences across various demographics."
But the Bud Light-Mulvaney partnership quickly brought an onslaught of criticism from people, many with anti-transgender views, who have called for a boycott of the beer maker. Mulvaney spoke out about the issue on Thursday in a video posted to her Instagram.
"I grew up in a conservative family, and I'm extremely privileged because they still love me very much, and I grew up in the church, and I still have my faith, which I am really trying to hold onto right now," she said. "But I've always tried to love everyone, you know? Even the people who make it really, really hard and I think it's okay to be frustrated with someone or confused, but what I'm struggling to understand is the need to dehumanize and to be cruel."
There have been reports that the company has since seen a drop in sales since the collaboration.
Anheuser-Busch has not confirmed that information.
According to the Associated Press, Anheuser-Busch InBev's stock that trades in the United States is down 1.8% since Mulvaney's April 1 video. But the stock is still up 9.1% for the year so far, more than the broad U.S. stock market, as measured by the S&P 500.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
