Anheuser-Busch reportedly paid social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney, who identifies as “transgender,” a substantial six-figure amount, totaling $185,000, for a Bud Light campaign that involved Mulvaney posting a video of himself consuming the beer. This campaign, however, proved disastrous and led to significant financial losses for the company.
Conservative podcaster Steven Crowder revealed a leaked conference call from June in which executives from an AB InBev marketing partner expressed concern about the growing boycott of the Bud Light brand. Anheuser-Busch is a subsidiary of the Belgium-based AB InBev.
In the leaked information, it was disclosed that Bud Light had misled the public regarding the compensation paid to Mulvaney for the social media post. Mulvaney, who identifies as female, shared a photo and video of himself drinking Bud Light on April 1, claiming that a specially designed can featuring his face was created to mark a year of him identifying as a “woman.”
The marketing strategy backfired, leading to significant financial losses for the company. Initially, Bud Light downplayed its association with Mulvaney, describing the partnership as informal and involving only one can of beer, as stated in a letter obtained by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in May.
“This was one single can given to one social media influencer. It was not made for production or sale to the general public.
“This can is not a formal campaign or advertisement.”
According to a financial disclosure, Bud Light paid a staggering $185k to Mulvaney.
BREAKING: Mug Club Undercover Obtains Never Before Seen Financial Statement Showing @BudLight Paid Dylan Mulvaney $185,000 For Disastrous Influencer Campaign pic.twitter.com/r0oAyqKtNa
— Steven Crowder (@scrowder) November 16, 2023
On a June 5 conference call within the marketing company Capitv8, it seems that the CEO, Krishna Subramanian, instructed participants not to engage with the media. Capitv8, based in California, played a role in Bud Light’s collaboration with Mulvaney.
“This audio confirms that there was panic by CEO Krishna Subramanian,” Crowder told his audience Thursday.
BREAKING: Leaked All Hands Call Reveals @Captiv8Labs CEO @KSub15 Tried To Cover-Up Dylan Mulvaney @BudLight Deal, Told Staff Not To Talk To Press About Public Relations Nightmare pic.twitter.com/8pKPfI2znU
— Steven Crowder (@scrowder) November 16, 2023
