A Louisiana man hasn’t let recent controversy sway his love for Bud Light after he was recorded entering a store and brazenly exiting with three cases of America’s former favorite beer.
The incident happened in Baton Rouge on Wednesday. The video shows the man strolling down a store’s beer aisle, then stopping suddenly when he noticed the Bud Light.
He enters the cool box and leaves the camera, only to reappear seconds later with the beers. The suspect left without paying, the sheriff’s deputy said. Earlier this week it was reported that the beer was cheaper than water in some stores.
From there, surveillance video showed him stowing the beer in the back seat of his four-door sedan and then speeding from the scene.
The unidentified suspect is a black male wearing a red t-shirt that reads “Castle” on the front and “Crooks” on the back. He also wore black pants and black shoes.
Last month it was announced that Budweiser had fallen to second place in the ranking of America’s most popular beers.
The suspect, dressed in a shirt that reads “Crooks,” walks down the beer aisle but stops suddenly when he sees his favorite beer
The man disappears into the cooler for a moment and walks past America’s current favorite beer, Modelo, to get his pint
He then boldly leaves the store, holding three cases of Bud Light
Sheriff’s deputies say the man dumped the beer into his silver sedan and sped from the scene
Modelo Especial, a Mexican lager, overtook Bud Light in US dollar retail sales for the month ended June 3, according to Nielsen data analyzed by Bump Williams Consulting.
Modelo controlled 8.4 percent of US grocery, convenience and spirits sales; Bud Light fell to 7.3 percent.
Grupo Modelo, the Mexican brewery, is owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev, the same parent company as Bud Light.
It’s a milestone in Bud Light’s month-long sales slump since early April, when critics, angered that the brewery was sending a commemorative tin to transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, vowed to boycott the brand.
Bud Light has also faced backlash from Mulvaney’s fans, who feel the brand hasn’t done enough to support them.
Dave William, vice president of analytics and insights at Bump Williams, said Bud Light has been the top-selling US beer since 2001 and may retain that crown this year.
He noted that Bud Light’s year-to-date market share of 9 percent is still ahead of Modelo’s 8 percent. And Bud Light sales volumes are higher.
In the wake of the Mulvaney scandal, the influencer said she felt let down by Bud Light, adding that the episode had exposed her “to more bullying and transphobia than I could ever have imagined.”
Bud Light sales continue to fall. Since the controversy surrounding the brand began in April, the numbers have steadily deteriorated
In a TikTok video, she said she’s “waiting for the brand to get back to me.” But they never did.’ She said she should have spoken out sooner but was afraid and hoped things would get better – but they didn’t.
“For months I’ve been afraid to leave my house,” Mulvaney said. “I’ve been taunted in public. I’ve been persecuted and felt a loneliness I wouldn’t wish on anyone.’
Anheuser-Busch did not directly respond to Mulvaney in a statement released by the company. But it says it remains “committed to the programs and partnerships we’ve built over decades with organizations in a range of communities, including those in the LGBTQ+ community.”
Conservative figures and others called for a boycott of Bud Light, while Mulvaney’s supporters criticized the beer brand for not doing enough to support them.
Since then, two heads of marketing at parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev have taken a leave of absence.
Other companies, including Starbucks and Target, have recently come under fire for their efforts to reach out to the LGBTQ+ community, particularly during June’s Pride celebrations, but faced even more outcry when they tried to back down.
The clashes come amid a fierce and fast-spreading debate over the rights of transgender people. At least 17 states have enacted laws restricting or banning sex-based childcare for minors, most since earlier this year.
As of April, boxes of Bud Light still lingered on grocery store shelves across the country
Even drastic price reductions could not move the beer crates
Anti-bud light beer graffiti is seen scrawled on a gate in Arco, Idaho on June 21, 2023
Just this week, Bud Light faced renewed criticism after the brewer was said to be desperate after a new round of ads starring Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce.
The ad, titled “Backyard Grunts with Travis Kelce,” appears to be an attempt to win back male drinkers who have been put off by recent marketing decisions. Kelce is pictured attending a barbecue with several other men, grunting satirically as they slowly lean back in their seats and crack open a beer.
“I don’t see how this appeals to Bud Light’s target audience of transgender youth,” one viewer commented on the YouTube video.
“Man Bud Light will be the death knell at this point,” wrote one commenter. “That’s what they think of their customer base, dumb grunting cavemen.”
“I’m actually embarrassed about Bud Light right now,” said another viewer.
A third commented: “This has become a complete joke…just take it off the shelf we’re not coming back!!”
“Even in ads, people don’t want to drink flower light,” one wrote.
‘Never will I… buy a Budweiser Busch product AGAIN.’ ALWAYS.’
“Sorry, Bud.” The only thing that would even remotely help your regular customers would be an unconditional apology and renunciation of the waking culture!’ said a viewer.
Kelce’s appearance in the ad also sparked backlash. One commenter slammed it as “sold out”.
“No support for Kelce,” they said. “I will never buy an Anheuser Busch product again.”