New York –
The marketing director who oversaw a partnership between Bud Light and the transgender influencer reportedly took a leave of absence after cries of boycotts escalated from some angry customers.
Alissa Heinerscheid, vice president of marketing for Bud Light, will be replaced by Todd Allen, Budweiser’s newest global vice president, according to reports from Beer Business Daily and Ad Age.
A spokesperson for Bud Light’s parent company, Anheuser-Busch InBev, on Saturday wouldn’t confirm the furlough directly, but said that as Bud Light’s vice president, Allen will report directly to Benoit Garbe, the US chief marketing officer. The company has also made simplification changes so that marketers are more connected to all of its branding activities.
The partnership between the blue crown beer brand and Dylan Mulvaney, who has more than 10.8 million followers on social media, began April 1. That’s when Mulvaney posted a video to Instagram that shows her unpacking a Bud light box, along with the hashtag .budlightpartner.
Companies have intensified their efforts to attract customers and employees of all races, cultures and more as the country continues to diversify. In many cases, their shareholders have pushed them to become more inclusive in hopes of improving returns.
Earlier this month, Bud Light said: “Anheuser-Busch works with hundreds of influencers across our brands as one of many ways to connect authentically with audiences of diverse demographics.
But the Bud Light-Mulvaney partnership quickly drew a wave of criticism from people who said they were angry about the world’s “awakening”. Musician Kid Rock posted a video of himself shooting cans of Bud Light with a shotgun.
US-listed Anheuser-Busch InBev stock is down 1.8% since Mulvaney’s video on April 1 that shows her taking a sip of Bud Light. But the stock is still up 9.1% for the year so far, more than the entire US stock market as measured by the S&P 500.
