The Anheuser-Busch executive behind making transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney the face of Bud Light said the beer brand had been “in decline for a really long time” and wanted to make it more inclusive by attracting more female and younger drinkers.
Alissa Heinerscheid, 39, vice president of marketing for Bud Light, told the “Make Yourself at Home” podcast hosted by Kristin Twiford on March 23 she was convinced Bud Light needed to shift its tone because its previous marketing strategy was dated and male-oriented. Her interview was conducted about a week before the partnership with Mulvaney was revealed.
“I’m a businesswoman, I had a really clear job to do when I took over Bud Light, and it was, ‘This brand is in decline, it’s been in a decline for a really long time, and if we do not attract young drinkers to come and drink this brand there will be no future for Bud Light,'” said Heinerscheid, who is the first woman to lead the 41-year-old iconic brand. “I had this super clear mandate. We need to evolve and elevate this incredibly iconic brand.”
Heinerscheid, a cancer survivor who is married and has three children, said evolve and elevate means “inclusivity, it means shifting the tone, it means having a campaign that’s truly inclusive and feels lighter and brighter and different and appeals to women and men.” She added Bud Light had been “this brand of fratty, kind of out of touch humor. It was important that we had another approach.”
“I’m not going to pretend there isn’t more work to do, from a business perspective and a representation perspective,” she said. “I feel like you have to put your money where your mouth is when you’re trying to evolve a brand and elevate it and bring in new consumers.”
The beer maker caused a firestorm earlier this month by celebrating Mulvaney’s “365 Days of Girlhood” by sending Mulvaney custom-made cans featuring the influencer’s face. Mulvaney, who has more than 10 million followers on TikTok, said in an Instagram video posted April 1 the cans were her “most prized possession,” with the post featuring “#budlightpartner.”
Country music star Travis Tritt cut ties with Anheuser-Busch over Bud Light’s partnership with Mulvaney.
"I will be deleting all Anheuser-Busch products from my tour hospitality rider," Tritt tweeted Wednesday night. "I know many other artists who are doing the same."
Also, singer/musician Kid Rock used an Instagram post on April 4 to show his displeasure with the Bud Light/Mulvaney partnership.
In an Instagram video posted April 4, Kid Rock, wearing a light blue MAGA cap backward, said, "Grandpa's feeling a little frisky today. Let me say, uh, something to all of you and be as clear and concise as possible."
He then uses what looks like a semi-automatic rifle to shoot at and destroy three 12-packs of Bud Light. He ended the video by saying "[Bleep] Bud Light and [bleep] Anheuser-Busch. Have a terrific day."