Anheuser-Busch is reportedly planning a temporary packaging redesign for some Budweiser and Bud Light products as the brands’ sales slump in the wake of the company’s controversial partnership with Dylan Mulvaney.
A temporary redesign for Bud and Bud Light aluminum bottles will feature a camouflage print in tribute to the charity “Folds of Honor,” which provides scholarships to the children of fallen and disabled military personnel and first responders, a source told the New York Post.
The plan was reportedly unveiled at a meeting last week at Anheuser-Busch’s U.S. headquarters in St. Louis, where executives briefed distributors on plans to respond to the backlash against Bud Light.
A distributor who spoke to the Post said the camo print would likely only be applied to aluminum bottles of the two beers, but said it was possible the temporary redesign could be applied to other packaging sizes.
An Anheuser-Bush spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com Tuesday evening.
A temporary redesign for Bud and Bud Light aluminum bottles will feature a camo print in tribute to the “Folds of Honor” charity, according to a new report
The plan was reportedly unveiled at a meeting last week at Anheuser-Busch’s U.S. headquarters in St. Louis (above), where executives briefed distributors
The reported redesign comes as the brewing giant continues to suffer a sales slump for its flagship Bud Light brand.
Bud Light has long been the top-selling beer in the U.S., according to data from Bump Williams Consulting, saw sales fall 23.6 percent from a year ago in the week ending May 6.
That was roughly in line with the 23.3 percent year-on-year decline in the previous week, marking a worrying trend for the brewery, if it continues.
The conservative backlash against Bud Light began on April 1, when transgender influencer Mulvaney posted a video of herself breaking open a Bud Light on her Instagram page.
She showed off a can with her face on it that Bud Light sent her – one of the many business freebies she receives and shares with her millions of followers through brand partnerships.
Three days after Mulvaney’s post, musician Kid Rock posted a video shooting boxes of Bud Light, and several country music stars publicly denounced the brand and accused Anheuser-Busch of meddling in political and cultural issues.
On the other side of the issue, Anheuser-Busch has also faced backlash from some pro-LGBT lawyers for appearing to reject the Mulvaney partnership and leaving the trans influencer to fend for herself amid the backlash.
Several gay bars have vowed to stop selling Bud Light and other Anheuser-Busch products because of the company’s handling of the issue.
The planned redesign of the camouflage pays tribute to the ‘Folds of Honor’ charity, which provides scholarships to the children of fallen and disabled military and first responders
Founded in 2007, Folds of Honor has awarded more than 44,000 grants (file photo)
Within weeks of the controversy, two Anheuser-Busch marketing executives took a leave of absence.
Bud Light’s European parent company said earlier this month that it will triple its marketing spend in the US this summer as it tries to boost sales.
But speaking to investors, Michel Doukeris, CEO of Anheuser-Busch InBev, also downplayed the impact of the setback, saying that US Bud Light sales declines in the first three weeks of April accounted for just 1 percent of InBev’s global volumes. .
Doukeris did not name Mulvaney during the investor call, but denounced what he called “misinformation” about the promotion.
For example, cans with Mulvaney were not made to be sold to the general public, but were a personal gift for the influencer.
“This was one can, one influencer, one post and no campaign,” he said.
After several weeks of social media silence, Mulvaney posted a video to her Instagram page earlier this month in which she thanked her supporters, but also did not mention Bud Light by name.
“What I find difficult to understand is the need to dehumanize and be cruel. I don’t think that’s right,” she said. “I’ll just go ahead and trust that the people who know me and my heart won’t listen to that sound.”
The conservative backlash against Bud Light began on April 1, when transgender influencer Mulvaney posted a video of herself breaking open a Bud Light on her Instagram page
Earlier this week, Republican members of Congress joined the debate, criticizing Anheuser-Busch for allegedly venturing into politics.
Republican Ralph Norman hit back at the company for their decision to let Mulvaney, 26, promote their product.
Norman told Fox News, “If there’s ever a reason for a company to avoid issues like this, they were making beer last time I checked.”
They don’t make policy. If they want to make policy, go into politics. As long as they believe in it so strongly.’
Norman continued, “There are many past Bud Light users who will never drink another Bud Light beer in their lives, including me.”
Republican Mark Alford also told the news site, “Anytime companies get involved in issues of culture and wakeism, it’s a big risk.”