Bud Light sales dropped before July 4th.

Bud Light Sales Plummet Amidst Conservative Boycott

Sales of Bud Light have taken a significant hit in the week leading up to July 4, indicating that the conservative boycott against the brand’s partnership with a transgender influencer is still going strong.

In the week ending on June 24, Bud Light sales were 27.9 percent lower compared to the same period last year, as reported by the Daily Mail. These troubling numbers come despite Bud Light’s efforts to entice customers with rebates for free beer ahead of the Independence Day weekend.

Parent company Anheuser-Busch offered customers a $15 rebate when purchasing a 15-pack of Budweiser, Bud Light, Budweiser Select, or Budweiser Select 55, effectively providing free beer in areas where the pack costs $15. You can find more information about the rebate here.

In an attempt to win back its alienated customers, Anheuser-Busch has also increased its advertising spending this summer, as reported by the Free Beacon.

Partnership with Transgender Influencer Sparks Controversy

The brand’s troubles began in April when its partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney was revealed to the public. Mulvaney, on April 1, shared on social media a Bud Light can featuring their face and even posted a video of themselves enjoying Bud Light in a bathtub.

Since then, Bud Light has lost its position as America’s top-selling beer. According to the Wall Street Journal, it was the second-best-selling beer in the four weeks leading up to June 3, accounting for 7.3 percent of U.S. retail-store beer purchases. Modelo claimed the top spot with 8.4 percent of sales (source). As a result, Anheuser-Busch’s market cap has fallen by a staggering $20 billion.

Mulvaney, the transgender influencer, recently criticized Bud Light for their lack of support following the backlash. In a video, they expressed disappointment, saying, “I was waiting for the brand to reach out to me, but they never did. I’ve been scared to leave my house” (source).