Bud Light Fiasco Shows Conservatives Have Had Enough

The downfall of Bud Light is a fascinating case study.

Not because a marketing department was dumb enough to alienate all of its core consumers. Or because companies are throwing money at Dylan Mulvaney simply for existing. Not even because, with all the craziness happening in the world, we're all over here fighting about beer.

This situation is remarkable because — for the first time — a conservative boycott worked.

At this point, you already know the back story: Bud Light partnered with a flamboyant female impersonator. All hell broke loose.

And they got it from both sides. Conservatives felt the partnership was a slap in the face to women. And when Bud Light backtracked, LGBTQ activists criticized the company for caving to the Right.

What a role reversal.

For years, the Left has successfully "canceled" anyone they don't agree with.

If you don't fall perfectly in line with the preferred ideological narrative, you lose your job. If your company aligns itself with someone who has right-leaning views, you can kiss your sales goodbye. And if you've ever breathed the same air as someone the "inclusive" liberals view as racist, homophobic, transphobic or bigoted, you are guilty without a trial.

But not this time.

Sorry you had to see that photo. But I needed to make a point.

See, the Left thinks it's invincible. And — if we're being honest — it has been.

We live in a world where Jane Fonda can go on national television and call for the actual murder of people who disagree with her.

But that's OK. Because as long as you check the right boxes on Election Day, you can get away with just about anything.

No one loses their livelihood for being "too liberal."

Finally, conservatives had enough.

Bud Light sales have plummeted since the Dylan Mulvaney partnership.

Bud Light had problems before the Mulvaney ad.

With craft breweries popping up everywhere and the growing popularity of hard seltzers and canned cocktails, sales were already in decline.

As a result, Anheuser-Busch needed to find a way to bring in a wider demographic of customers. That's fine. Problem is, their attempt at inclusivity actually insulted a sizable chunk of their loyal beer drinkers.

The infamous Dylan Mulvaney video was posted April 1.

And that's when the boycott began. Anheuser-Busch volumes were down more than 12 percent in April. Bud Light was down a staggering 21.4 percent.

By the first week of May, Bud Light sales volume was down about 28 percent compared with the same period last year in U.S. retail stores.

And other domestic brands are doing just fine.

Brands, take note.

Conservatives are tired of having an ideology shoved down their throats. They're tired of being lectured. They're tired of being name called.

Bud Light is in serious damage repair mode.

For the first time, the brand now plans to include Bud Light in the brewer's long-running sponsorship of a veterans organization. Bud Light is also leaning back into television commercials on themes like football and country music.

Because apparently supporting the United States military and watching sports are right-wing values.

But the damage has already been done. The "silent majority" isn't so silent anymore.

And Bud Light just might be the first domino.