Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is pushing for legal action against Anheuser-Busch (AB InBev), the company that owns Bud Light, following a controversial ad campaign featuring transgender personality Dylan Mulvaney. The campaign has sparked polarized reactions from potential customers, leading to boycotts and a decline in sales.
DeSantis has sent a letter to the State Board of Administration urging them to explore potential legal actions against AB InBev. In the letter, he refers to the ad campaign as a fateful decision that has turned Bud Light into a commercial pariah. The Governor accuses the company of prioritizing environmental, social, and corporate governance aims over profits and questions whether this breach of obligation has occurred towards shareholders.
The controversy surrounding the ad campaign has been met with mixed responses. While country music icon Garth Brooks has expressed support for the ad, vowing to continue selling Bud Light in his Nashville bar, many customers have boycotted the beer brand. Moreover, musician Kid Rock shared a video of himself shooting cases of Bud Light with an assault weapon, accompanied by a profanity-laced rant against the brand.
Mulvaney, the transgender personality featured in the campaign, recently addressed the controversy on TikTok, expressing their frustration with the dehumanization and cruelty directed towards them. They emphasized the importance of treating others with kindness and urged followers to focus on the shared goal of making people laugh and learning from one another.
Morgan Stanley has predicted that Bud Light sales may decline by more than 20 percent following the backlash. This setback follows Governor DeSantis’s ongoing conflict with Disney in his home state. The clash stems from Disney’s criticism of DeSantis’s education policy, which includes banning discussions of sexual orientation and gender in certain classrooms.
In conclusion, Governor Ron DeSantis is advocating for legal action against AB InBev in response to a controversial Bud Light ad campaign featuring a transgender personality. The campaign has ignited a polarizing debate and led to boycotts, causing sales to decline. Ultimately, the outcome of DeSantis’s push for legal action and the impact on Bud Light’s future remain uncertain.
