The 5 Things that Defined the Bud Light Crisis
After entering a sensitive discussion, Bud Light realized they didn’t just make great beer — they made great waves
Dylan Mulvaney, a noteworthy transgender influencer shared an Instagram post of a custom can that Bud Light designed for her with an image of her face. The post drew negative comments toward Dylan and threats to boycott Bud Light for featuring her. Playing out for the whole world to see, what happened next was a case study of how brands manage a social media crisis.
1. Entering the conversation
Bud Light has stated that they work with many influencers for the goal of connecting with audiences across various demographics. So, taking this into account, it would seem like bad luck, right? Out of all the influencers they work with, they finally encountered one that would cause a frenzy. By partnering with Dylan though, they found themselves entering a discussion that has been known to divide people.
2. The Response
After realizing the harassment Dylan was receiving, as well as the backlash toward the brand, Bud Light released a public statement on their Instagram page entitled Our Responsibility to America.
People then started to form their own opinions. Some said the response fell short of addressing the harassment the influencer faced. Others said that Bud Light tried to “beat around the bush.” Some went as far as to say the brand came across as scared. Personally, I think the CEO followed a public relations strategy of focusing on what their core consumers want: a great beer, not a political discussion. However, by communicating it this way, it is possible that the company created uncertainty as to its sincerity. This I don’t believe is a good practice for social media.
3. Do Nothing
Earlier this year, I attended a panel discussion on media, culture, and communication. As they passed the mic around to students, I asked the question to ad execs, what would have happened if Nike decided to do nothing with regard to the Colin Kaepernick situation. If you don’t remember, Colin Kaepernick was an NFL quarterback who risked his career to take a stand against police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem during NFL games. The panel response was that Nike has such a huge footprint in our society, that they had to get involved with sensitive issues because they in some cases set the standard, we live in. Their stand with Colin ended up paying off, but Bud Light, not so much. Did Nike get this one right too? The Just Do It behemoth didn’t directly address the controversy, but posted a statement that helped the brand manage the crisis to help its image:
“Hate speech, bullying, or other behaviors that are not in the spirit of a diverse and inclusive community will be deleted.”
They doubled down.
3. Pink Washing
Bud Light got itself into this with its broad influencer strategy and once the partnership with Dylan Mulvany was created, it was left with two choices should any backlash from pinkwashing arise: double down or retreat. Pinkwashing refers to corporations appropriating LGBTQ symbolism to promote their brands or products without committing to support queer equality financially or legally. A key indicator of pinkwashing can be companies who jump on the bandwagon of pride advertising, but behind closed doors, donate to political campaigns that support anti-LGBTQ policy
4. Kid Rock
If you thought things couldn’t get any more dramatic, Kid Rock decided to add fuel to the fire of an already sensitive situation by indirectly bringing the issue of guns into the discussion. In this video, Kid Rock can be seen responding to Bud Light’s partnership with the LGBTQ community and decided to express his thoughts from an AR-15 shotgun on the perceived catering to “woke” culture. However, months later, pictures surfaced showing Kid Rock drinking a Bud Light at a concert leaving many to wonder about the hypocrisy.
5. Know your brand
For a company that markets inspiration, it seems justifiable to get involved in social issues. However, for a brand that markets an alcohol-based commodity, especially one that has ties to the NFL, I feel this LGBTQ partnership was doomed from the beginning. Just because drinking has social connotations, doesn’t mean you engage in social issues. I feel like Bud Light could have initially avoided this by not designing a custom can but rather a way to appeal to the LGBTQ community that maybe wasn’t as direct as a partnership with an influencer — maybe some sort of campaign with less potential scrutiny — something like a post or video that communicated steps the company was taking to make the work environment more inclusive to the LGBTQ community. Look what happened as a result of such an ambiguous response: Modelo surpassed Bud Light in sales, and the public now wonders if Bud Light is a sincere brand. Don’t we all just want Bud Light to focus on making great beer that’s affordable?
