Bud Light ditches fake chick for Shane Gillis



Bud Light has taken off its beer goggles.

The massive brand has learned a few lessons from its costly Dylan Mulvaney experiment. Among them: Fake chicks don't sell beer.

In a bid to transition from the ensuing boycott, Bud Light has hired comic Shane Gillis to star in a commercial that hearkens back to the kind of campaign that helped make it a household name.

Bud Light owner Anheuser-Busch had this to say about the partnership with Gillis:

Bud Light and football just go together. From the tailgate to the celebratory cheers in the stands to the round for friends at the bar, Bud Light is showing up for 21+ fans on gameday. Now, to rally college football fans across the country, Bud Light is introducing a new campaign in partnership with actor and comedian Shane Gillis, who stars and co-writes alongside longtime comedy partner John McKeever, who also directed the new content rolling out throughout the college football season.

'Bud Light came all the way back – UFC, Shane Gillis. Let's go!'

Titled "The Dean’s Office," the spot depicts a star football player called before college authorities to answer accusations of plagiarism. The dean offers him a bucket of Bud Light if he makes a confession.

No sooner is he about to oblige then his football coach (Gillis) butts in to confess his own embarrassing secret — and claim his reward.

Soon, everyone including the dean is making confessions — anything for a precious Bud Light.

The new beer ad was co-written by Gillis and longtime comedy partner John McKeever. The commercial also stars Steve Gerben — who co-stars with Gillis on the "Tires" sitcom.

"I like football and beer, especially Bud Light. It was fun to work with McKeever and Steve on this," Gillis said of the advertisement.

The commercial began airing August 31 during college football games on NBC, ABC, and ESPN.

Following the Dylan Mulvaney debacle, Bud Light dropped from the top-selling beer to the third, while parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev lost roughly $1.4 billion in sales since the transgender activist controversy.

Alissa Heinerscheid, marketing VP behind the ill-fated Mulvaney campaign, has said she chose the bizarre spokesman as a way to correct the brand's "fratty ... out-of-touch humor."

"And we had this hangover. I mean, Bud Light had been kind of a brand of fratty, kind of out-of-touch humor, and it was really important that we had another approach," Heinerscheid declared before being replaced.

Despite many celebrities dumping Bud Light over the Dylan Mulvaney boycott, Gillis continued to drink the controversial beer brand.

"Bud Light came all the way back — UFC, Shane Gillis. Let's go! I mean, that's a good move," Joe Rogan noted on his podcast. "Listen, I'm so happy. It just made so much sense. You never let them go. You never bailed on them," Rogan told Gillis. "In the heart of all the craziness, you never bailed on them. Kid Rock is shooting cases of it."

Rogan pitched the idea of Gillis being the new spokesperson for Bud Light during an episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience" in May 2023.

In March, Bud Light became the official beer sponsor of UFC.

The red-hot stand-up comedian has been on a massive winning streak after he was fired from "Saturday Night Live" in 2019. Gillis was fired from "SNL" just four days after being hired after it was reported that he made remarks deemed to be racist during an episode of his "Matt & Shane's Secret Podcast."

The talented comedian self-funded his first comedy special — “Shane Gillis: Live in Austin” — that has garnered more than 31 million views on YouTube. His comedy special “Shane Gillis: Beautiful Dogs” was a top-10 Netflix show in 2023. The Gillis-led scripted comedy series "Tires" debuted as Netflix's second-most watched show in May and has already been renewed for a second season.

Gillis stars in the online "Gilly and Keeves" comedy skit show. "Matt & Shane's Secret Podcast" is the most popular podcast on Patreon. Despite being terminated by "SNL," Gillis hosted "Saturday Night Live" in February. And he just capped off a successful stand-up tour — sponsored by Bud Light.

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Molson Coors makes $700M turnaround in a year amid Bud Light fiasco

Molson Coors makes $700M turnaround in a year amid Bud Light fiasco



Molson Coors brewing company made a gigantic turnaround in the last year as "significant shifts" in consumer habits catapulted the company's earnings forward.

The beer giant reported a very strong fourth quarter compared to the year prior, taking in $103.3 million for the end of 2023. This equated to a nearly $700 million turnaround when compared to a loss of $590.5 million for Q4 2022. That's a difference of 48 cents per share added to start 2024 versus losing $2.73 per share the year prior.

The company's market share gains come as consumers shifted away from Bud Light, CNBC reported, with the company claiming that the purchasing shifts will become permanent.

"The gains we’ve seen in our core brands have been consistent for over nine months," CEO Gavin Hattersley reportedly said. “We’re growing in every region, every channel, with every major customer in the United States, and at this point, we believe that the shifts in the U.S. beer industry are permanent," he continued.

Net sales grew 9.3% in the quarter while underlying income increased 36.9% before taxes, the company's report stated.

Molson Coors' analysts said that the company was well positioned to benefit from "significant shifts in consumer purchasing habits, largely in the U.S. premium segment" in 2023. This increased demand and grew Coors Light, Miller Lite, and Coors Banquet brands significantly.

The company also flexed its muscles by spending more than $21 million on a Super Bowl commercial that featured hip-hop legend LL Cool J and smartly stayed away from any political statements.

The company also benefited from some massive brand loyalty from spokesman and Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Mahomes was seen drinking Coors Light all over the internet during his team's victory parade, including in high-profile image licensing banks.

In a video posted to X, Mahomes was even seen rejecting a fan's offer of a different beer, opting to pass it off to a teammate.

Pat Mahomes was like \u201cNah, that ain\u2019t Coors Light.\u201d What a snag by the \ud83d\udc10 tho
— (@)

"We plan to build on this momentum in 2024, with strong commercial plans, a powerful and supportive distributor network, and the financial flexibility to reinvest in our business," CEO Hattersley added in the report.

Meanwhile, analysts like TD Cowen's Robert Moskow said the company will "hold on to the majority of the share they picked up from the Bud Light boycotts."

However, perhaps revealing a bit more reality, Ariel Investments' Tim Fidler said that Molson Coors' core brands were "growing dollar share even before the Bud Light controversy."

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Anheuser-Busch sales crater again, but signs show executives heard costumers loud and clear



American sales of Anheuser-Busch InBev tanked in the third quarter, the company revealed on Tuesday, yet more proof that American consumers succeeded in boycotting the company for sponsoring transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

Globally, Anheuser-Busch InBev reported generally positive figures in sales and revenue for the third quarter, measuring metrics from July through September. But those numbers were "partially offset" by a 17% decrease in U.S. sales over the same period and a massive 13.5% drop in revenue. Overall, there was a 29.3% decline in adjusted U.S. earnings.

Executives attributed the drop-off in sales "primarily due to the volume decline of Bud Light."

The dismal U.S. numbers are the second consecutive quarter of cratering sales and nosediving revenue in the U.S. after the boycott began in April. But there are signs it could turn around for Anheuser-Busch InBev.

AB InBev CEO Michel Doukeris told analysts on a call that company research shows that 40% of costumers who stopped drinking Bud Light are willing to give the brand a second chance, CNN reported.

"This gives us some certainty that we are moving in the right direction," he said, according to CNN. "We have a good grip on what we need to do and how we are proceeding from here."

Specifically, Doukeris said that company executives understand that customers want the company to "focus on beer" because they want "beer without a debate."

Doukeris' admission is good news.

First, it demonstrates that consumers still hold the power of the purse because, six months later, Anheuser-Busch InBev is still reeling from the boycott. Bud Light drinkers were angry, and they made their voices heard loud and clear. Second, it shows that Anheuser-Busch InBev executives are listening to their customers.

They want your business, and it appears they are willing to do what it takes to earn it back.

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Anheuser-Busch heir commits to buying back his family's business if offered: 'Make that brand great again'



Anheuser-Busch heir Billy Busch offered to buy back the company that bears his family name if Anheuser-Busch InBev, the international beer conglomerate that owns the iconic brand, offered to sell it.

Speaking on OutKick with Tomi Lahren, Busch predicted that Anheuser-Busch InBev will experience a long road to recovery after facing a months-long boycott for partnering with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney — if the company can recover at all. And if the Belgium-based company wants to offload what may now be a liability, Busch said he would be happy to buy it back.

"If they don't want that brand any longer, sell it back to the Busch family. Sell it to me. I'll be the first in line to buy that brand back from you, and we'll make that brand great again," Busch said.

Anheuser-Busch Heir Billy Busch On Bud Light Collapse! | Tomi Lahren is Fearless www.youtube.com

If that happened, Busch said the first thing he would do is apologize to Bud Light's customers and restore Anheuser-Busch's culture, which was known for appreciation of its customers and its employees.

"That culture is completely gone now," Busch said.

The difference between Anheuser-Busch's history of success and its downward spiral under InBev's control, Busch said, is that his family understood their customers.

"They knew who their drinkers were," Busch said. "They were with the bar owners and the restaurant owners and the liquor store owners and talking to these people day in and day out. Even my dad at 89 years old, 90 years old, he was still going to the bars selling Budweiser back in those days."

"We've always cared very, very much about the people in America. What made this company great was America, of course," he continued.

Current company leadership made a critical error by relying on people educated in "woke colleges" to run advertising, Busch went on to say. It's how Bud Light, for example, ended up hiring an executive who seemingly looked down upon the blue-collar, "fratty" image the Bud Light brand had spent years building.

"When you are a foreign company and you rely on these woke students that are coming out of these woke colleges to do your advertising for you, you're making a big mistake," Busch said. "You need to go out there and understand who your core customer is."

Anheuser-Busch is hemorrhaging revenue and selling off subsidiary brands after losing its place as the producer of America's No. 1 beer. Business wisdom says now just might be the right time to sell.

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INVENTORY LIQUIDATION: Anheuser-Busch is selling EIGHT brands after losing $27 BILLION in market value



Although it’s been several months since Bud Light went up in flames for the marketing scandal involving trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney, we’re just now beginning to see how far-reaching the consequences are.

Anheuser-Busch has now lost “$27 billion in market value,” according to a report released yesterday, which is why the brewing company is being forced to sell eight of its “beloved brands.”

Pat Gray plays a clip of Alissa Heinerscheid, the marketing VP behind Bud Light’s calamitous campaign, stating: “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 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.”

“In other words, if you’re drinking Bud Light right now, you’re too old, and we don’t want you,” he says.

Heinerscheid also reportedly insulted the brand’s “frat-boy image” when a huge portion of its customer base was college boys.

Pat and Jeffy both think Dylan Mulvaney didn’t single-handedly cause the massive drop in sales; he was merely “the straw that broke the camel’s back” after ongoing insults were hurled at the brand’s customer base.

“For decades [Bud Light] was the top-selling beer in America,” says Pat, but a 2023 survey shows it’s “now at number 15.”

If Bud Light was in decline pre-Mulvaney, its fate is certainly sealed now.


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Anheuser-Busch heir says ancestors 'rolled over in their graves' over Dylan Mulvaney partnership — and refuses to back down when challenged



An heir to the Anheuser-Busch fortune slammed the company that bears his family name on Friday for tarnishing the company's image after partnering with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney.

Speaking with TMZ, Busch said his ancestors "rolled over in their graves" when Bud Light partnered with Mulvaney.

"I think my family — my ancestors would have rolled over in their graves," Busch said of Bud Light's decision to celebrate Mulvaney's gender transition by plastering his face on one of the signature blue beer cans.

"They were very patriotic — they loved this country and what it stood for," Busch continued. "They believed that transgender, gays — that sort of thing — was all a very personal issue. They loved this country because it is a free country and people are allowed to do what they want, but it was never meant to be on a beer can and never meant to be pushed into people's faces."

Busch said that Anheuser-Busch's massive success was driven by his family's abilities in marketing and their understanding of AB's core customer — something Anheuser-Busch InBev executives betrayed.

"You know, I think people who drink beer, I think they're your common folk. I think they are the blue-collar worker who goes and works hard every single day," Busch said.

"The last thing they want pushed down their throat or to be drinking is a beer can with that kind of message on it. I just don’t think that’s what they're looking for," he explained. "They want their beer to be truly American, truly patriotic, as it always has been. Truly, America's beer, which Bud Light was and probably isn't any longer."

TMZ's Harvey Levin registered strong disagreement with Busch. He said Bud Light is facing a massive boycott because its customers are prejudiced against LGBT people.

But Busch held his ground, refusing to concede that putting Mulvaney's face on a Bud Light can was a wise marketing decision.


Anheuser-Busch Heir Says Bud Light's Transgender Ad Was Insult To Beer Drinkers www.youtube.com

Anheuser-Busch experienced a brutal second quarter in the U.S. in the face of the boycott.

Not only was Bud Light dethroned as America's No. 1 beer, but the company has hemorrhaged revenue — to the tune of approximately $400 million — and laid off hundreds of corporate employees.

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Major bank takes action against Anheuser-Busch over Bud Light 'crisis': 'Raises many questions'



HSBC, one of the world's largest banks, downgraded the stock of Anheuser-Busch InBev this week amid controversy over Bud Light's partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

Bank analysts downgraded the stock to "hold" status, which means investors should neither sell nor purchase the stock, CNBC reported.

In a note, HSBC analyst Carlos Laboy, managing director for the global beverage sector at the bank, justified the downgrade by questioning the ability of Anheuser-Busch InBev executives to understand their consumer base.

"Is ABI's leadership getting the brand culture transformation right? It's mixed. At Ambev, we think the answer is 'yes;' in the US, we think it's 'no,'" Laboy wrote. "The way this Bud Light crisis came about a month ago, management’s response to it and the loss of unprecedented volume and brand relevance raises many questions."

He further explained:

Why did its US leadership underestimate the risk of pushback given the recent experience of other firms? Is A-B hiring the best people to grow the brands and gauge risk? If Budweiser and Bud Light are iconic American ideas that have long brought consumers together, why did these marketers fail to invite new consumers without alienating the core base of the firm’s largest brand?

Anheuser-Busch is facing a host of problems in the U.S.

Not only are Bud Light sales tanking — and even spilling over to other popular Anheuser-Busch brands — while competitors Coors Light and Miller Light benefit, but Anheuser-Busch is facing pressure from the LGBT community to support LGBT causes.

But Anheuser-Busch InBev executives are trying to distance their company from the controversy.

On a call last week, Anheuser-Busch InBev CEO Michel Doukeris sought to clarify that the Mulvaney sponsorship was not a formal marketing "campaign."

"We need to continue to clarify the facts — that was one can, one post, one influencer, and not a campaign," he said.

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Anheuser-Busch CEO slams 'misinformation' about Dylan Mulvaney controversy as company gives away Bud Light for free



Bud Light is now handing out free beer to wholesale distributors amid controversy for partnering with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney, a decision Anheuser-Busch executives would like to blot out of the company's history.

As Bud Light sales continue to spiral downward — now more than 20% since the controversy began — Anheuser-Busch InBev, the parent company of Bud Light, is trying to make amends with wholesale distributors. Their plan includes giving distributors free beer, boosting marketing spending, and rushing production of new advertisements, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Company executives are also trying to get a clear message across: The Mulvaney sponsorship was not a formal ad "campaign."

"We need to continue to clarify the facts — that was one can, one post, one influencer, and not a campaign," said Anheuser-Busch InBev CEO Michel Doukeris on a call Thursday as he decried "misinformation."

Doukeris, meanwhile, said Anheuser-Busch InBev is "providing direct financial support" to distributors, sales reps, and the hospitality industry, frontline industries that are most impacted by the Bud Light boycott. He further explained that it is "too early to have a full view" of the damage the boycott has caused, but admitted the boycott, which began in April, has resulted in losses of "around 1% of our overall global volumes."

To prevent future advertising controversies, top Anheuser-Busch InBev executives will now oversee marketing campaigns, executives said on the call, the New York Times noted.

Anything else?

At the same time Bud Light tries to make amends, LGBTQ advocacy groups are urging Bud Light not to rescind its alleged support of the LGBTQ community.

"In this moment, it is absolutely critical for Anheuser-Busch to stand in solidarity with Dylan and the trans community," wrote Jay Brown, senior vice president of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, in a letter to Anheuser-Busch last month, The Hill reported.

"However, when faced with anti-LGBTQ+ and transphobic criticism, Anheuser-Busch's actions demonstrate a profound lack of fortitude in upholding its values of diversity, equity, and inclusion to employees, customers, shareholders and the LGBTQ+ community," the letter continued.

The letter underscores the anxious feelings that distributors are feeling as Anheuser-Busch tries to repair the relationship with its core customers. One distributor who spoke with the Wall Street Journal said he fears Anheuser-Busch could swing too far back in the other direction.

"They didn't need to take this risk," the distributor said. "I lost my cowboy bars and now I could lose my gay bars, too."

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