Catching Up On The Controversy
In case you haven’t heard about the ongoing boycott against Bud Light, let us catch you up.
Over two weeks ago, transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney thanked Bud Light for sending her a personalized can with her face on it. Bud Light created this can specifically for Mulvaney, and it is not available to the public.
Bud Light also sent Mulvaney a bunch of non-customized cans. She posted a video of herself with the beers in promotion of Bud Light’s March Madness contest.
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Due to the partnership with Mulvaney, several celebrities spoke out against Bud Light. Such celebrities include Kid Rock, Travis Tritt, John Rich, and Ted Nugent.
Kid Rock’s response went viral. He filmed a video of himself firing a gun into several cases of Bud Light before swearing at the brand’s parent company, Anheuser-Busch.
— KidRock (@KidRock) April 4, 2023
Many others have joined these celebrities in boycotting or speaking out against Bud Light because of their partnership with Mulvaney. Anheuser-Busch’s stocks have dropped since the boycott started.
Additionally, events featuring the famous Budweiser Clydesdales were canceled by one distributor. The distributor worried about the safety of its employees if they moved forward with the events.
CEO Responds
Brendan Whitworth, the CEO of Anheuser-Busch, responded to the controversy in a statement shared on social media on April 14.
It read in part:
“As the CEO of a company founded in America’s heartland more than 165 years ago, I am responsible for ensuring every consumer feels proud of the beer we brew…We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer.”
— Anheuser-Busch (@AnheuserBusch) April 14, 2023
However, Whitworth’s statement did not stop even more people from speaking out against Bud Light.
Riley Green Chimes In
Another country artist, Riley Green, is one of the latest celebrities to chime in on the Bud Light controversy.
Green performed in Nashville, Tennessee on Friday (April 14). During the show, he sang his Platinum-certified hit “I Wish Grandpas Never Died.”
One of the lyrics in that song is, “…And coolers never ran out of cold Bud Light.” Hear the song in its original form in the following video.
But while Green was singing in Nashville, he changed the lyrics to sing about Coors Light in Bud Light’s place.
“…And coolers never ran out of cold Coors Light,” he sang instead.
The crowd cheered after hearing Green make the swap. Watch the video below to see how they reacted to the change.