Anheuser-Busch CEO Breaks Silence On Dylan Mulvaney Controversy: 'Never Intended To Be Part Of A Discussion That Divides People'
Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth has finally addressed Bud Light teaming up with Dylan Mulavney.
The beer powerhouse has been under intense scrutiny ever since Bud Light made a decision to collaborate with the transgender activist.
Sales have reportedly taken a hit, the stock price has dipped, the market cap is down in the ballpark of $5 billion and Whitworth has now addressed the situation. To put it simply, he doesn't seem pleased to find himself having to defend the decision to team up with Mulvaney.
Anheuser-Busch CEO reacts to Bud Light/Dylan Mulvaney outrage.
In a lengthy statement, Whitworth addressed the fact people are outraged, and made it crystal clear it's not Anheuser-Busch's business to be involved in political controversies.
"As the CEO of a company founded in America’s heartland more than 165 years ago, I am responsible for ensuring every consumer feels proud of the beer we brew. We’re honored to be part of the fabric of this country. Anheuser-Busch employs more than 18,000 people and our independent distributors employ an additional 47,000 valued colleagues. We have thousands of partners, millions of fans and a proud history supporting our communities, military, first responders, sports fans and hard-working Americans everywhere. We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer," Whitworth said in a Friday statement, according to Fox Business.
He further continued to state, "My time serving this country taught me the importance of accountability and the values upon which America was founded: freedom, hard work and respect for one another. As CEO of Anheuser-Busch, I am focused on building and protecting our remarkable history and heritage. I care deeply about this country, this company, our brands and our partners. I spend much of my time traveling across America, listening to and learning from our customers, distributors and others. Moving forward, I will continue to work tirelessly to bring great beers to consumers across our nation."
Whitworth was a member of the Marines and the CIA.
Whitworth doesn't seem overly pleased.
The statement definitely reads like Brendan Whitworth is not happy he has to be dealing with this situation.
Whenever a CEO has to state on the record "I am responsible for ensuring every consumer feels proud of the beer we brew" and "We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer," you know he's not happy.
The fact he then cited his time in the military and CIA as his credentials for "the importance of accountability"
Anheuser-Busch stock was at $66.73 the Friday before Dylan Mulvaney's collab video came out April 1. It's now at $64.62 as of publication. That represents a more than 3% decline in the span of two weeks. It's not a mystery why Brendan Whitworth had to step in. Bud Light's vice president of marketing Alissa Heinerscheid might not want to make many more long term marketing plans.
The question now is whether or not Bud Light fans will return. Clearly, Anheuser-Busch knows there's serious work to be done. The statement from Whitworth is just the start of the image rehabbing.