Bud Light is co-sponsoring an upcoming "all-ages" Pride drag event amidst its tumbling sales after facing intense backlash over its collaboration with Dylan Mulvaney.
Besides the controversial beer, its parent firm Anheuser-Busch and the giant retailer Target are sponsoring major LGBTQ events in time for the Pride Month festivities.
Bud Light Co-Sponsors Pride Drag Event
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 31: Empty Bud Light cans sit in the seats during the the Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Guardians game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 31, 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland.
According to a report by Newsweek, Bud Light and its parent firm Anheuser-Busch have been grappling with a boycott movement from conservatives and right-wingers in the past few weeks.
It all started when the popular beer brand collaborated with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. The beverage maker sent the trans woman content creator a commemorative beer can, which flaunts her beautiful face, to celebrate her "girlhood" transition.
But despite the backlash that Bud Light went "too woke," amidst the striking sales drop, the beer brand stood up with the LGBTQ+ community and continues to back Pride month festivities.
According to Fox News, the beer brand appeared as one of the sponsors of a Flagstaff Pride event. The poster of the party, aptly named Pride in the Pines, says the event is "presented by" Bud Light.
The Bud Light-sponsored event, which kicks off on June 17, features drag queens and other performers. Nina Sky, Kerri Colby, and Salina Es Titties are gracing the festivities. The giant beverage maker Coca-Cola and the fashion brand Old Navy also back the upcoming Pride Event.
By co-sponsoring this all-ages Pride event, Bud Light is not only refreshing the spirits of beer enthusiasts. It is also amplifying its support for the LGBTQ+ community. But as mentioned, the Flagstaff Pride event sponsorship is crucial when Bud Light faces challenges in the beer market. The former Anheuser-Busch executive Anson Frericks warned that the sales of the beer brand are set to enter a critical phase.
He warns that retailers are likely to offer their shelf space to its rival brands, such as Miller Lite and Coors Lites if their sales continue to tumble. The former Anheuser-Busch President of Sales and Distribution says the company needs to figure out a strategy, expressing whom they want to serve now.
Read Also: Bud Light Parent Company AB InBev Sells Off Beer Brand Amid Billions of Dollars of Losses
Target, Bug Light Parent Sponsor Pride Events
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 18: Carts are brought into a Target store on May 18, 2022 in Miami, Florida.
As the Pride festivities nationwide, giant firms support the LGBTQ+ community.
As per The New York Post, Target and the Bud Light parent have one thing in common: Both are grappling with backlash from anti-trans folks and conservatives.
But despite the backlash, Target expressed its support to the LGBTQ community for NYC Pride, wherein it is one of the platinum sponsors. Meanwhile, the Bud Light parent backs various Pride celebrations, such as Charlotte, San Francisco, and Chicago.
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