XPost: alt.transgendered, talk.politics.guns, alt.politics.economics   
   XPost: alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, sac.politics   
   From: yourdime@outlook.com   
      
   Target and Bud Light's foray into the culture wars led to backlash from   
   conservative consumers that took a financial toll on each company in 2023.   
      
   Bud Light came under fire shortly after it partnered with transgender   
   activist Dylan Mulvaney for a March Madness social media promotion. The   
   beer brand celebrated the influencer identifying as a woman for a full   
   year by sending personalized packs of Bud Light decorated with Mulvaney's   
   face.   
      
   The social media videos spurred an angry reaction from conservatives and   
   beer loyalists who felt the classic American brand was abandoning its   
   customer base in favor of far-left identity politics.   
      
   Days after the Mulvaney firestorm ignited, remarks by Bud Light's former   
   Vice President of Marketing Alissa Heinerscheid created more headaches for   
   the company.   
      
   Heinerscheid revealed in an interview that she was directed to transform   
   the brand from its "fratty" image to one that was more "inclusive." Her   
   comments went viral  in light of the Mulvaney partnership, adding to the   
   company's troubles.   
      
   As sales began to plummet, Brendan Whitworth, the CEO of Anheuser-Busch,   
   the parent company for Bud Light, addressed the controversy on April 14.   
      
   The CEO claimed the company "never intended to be part of a discussion   
   that divides people," adding, "We are in the business of bringing people   
   together over a beer."   
      
   Despite attempts to smooth things over with angry customers, Bud Light   
   sales continued to drop throughout the year.   
      
   By May, Anheuser-Busch had dropped $27 billion in market value and sales   
   were down nearly 30% compared to the previous year.   
      
   In July, the company announced it was laying off hundreds of workers. In   
   its third quarter, the company suffered a 13.5% decline in U.S. revenue   
   and a 17.1% decline in North American sales volume.   
      
   However the tide may be turning for the beer company. In October, UFC CEO   
   Dana White announced Bud Light would be the official beer sponsor of the   
   mixed-martial arts organization.   
      
   Anheuser-Busch also pledged $3 million in academic scholarships for the   
   families of fallen or disabled first responders through its work with   
   nonprofit, Folds of Honor.   
      
   "Bud Light is the #1 beer in the industry by volume (Circana TUS MULC YTD   
   12.10.23), and millions of Americans continue to choose the brand every   
   day," an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News   
   Digital.   
      
   Retail giant Target faced a similar firestorm from conservative consumers   
   over their own marketing and products centered on the LGBTQ community   
      
   The company features Pride month displays in stores every June but   
   attracted criticism this year for adding products catered to transgender   
   individuals, including female-style swimsuits that can be used to "tuck"   
   male genitalia.   
      
   The retail juggernaut also faced fallout for its partnership with a   
   "Satanist" designer for Pride month, whose brand featured occult imagery   
   and messages like "Satan respects pronouns" on apparel, which the designer   
   called tongue-in-cheek.   
      
   Some southern stores were forced by the corporation to move Pride   
   merchandise away from the front of their locations after customer   
   "outrage" to avoid a "Bud Light situation," Fox News Digital first   
   reported.   
      
   A Target spokesperson said the changes were made due to "volatile   
   circumstances."   
      
   "For more than a decade, Target has offered an assortment of products   
   aimed at celebrating Pride Month," the spokesperson told Fox News Digital.   
   "Since introducing this year’s collection, we've experienced threats   
   impacting our team members’ sense of safety and wellbeing while at work.   
   Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our   
   plans, including removing items that have been at the center of the most   
   significant confrontational behavior. Our focus now is on moving forward   
   with our continuing commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community and standing with   
   them as we celebrate Pride Month and throughout the year."   
      
   The gesture angered over 200 LGBTQ activist groups, who demanded Target   
   "denounce extremists" and restock all the Pride merchandise in stores and   
   online.   
      
   Target's stock took a hit and its sales experienced a downturn in its   
   second quarter. CEO Brian Cornell acknowledged the impact the fallout had   
   on sales in a call with reporters in August, Fox Business reported.   
      
   Despite the controversy, Target released LGBTQ-themed Christmas products,   
   such as a Nutcracker figure holding a gay pride flag, this season.   
      
   In a recent interview, Cornell said the Pride backlash was the first time   
   employees didn't feel "safe" at work.   
      
   Target did not respond to a request for comment.   
      
   The heavy hits each brand faced could be part of a "go woke, go broke"   
   trend some experts have monitored with companies whose bottom line is   
   affected after they take progressive social stances.   
      
   New polling from Gallup and Bentley University shows most Americans don't   
   want businesses to inject their opinions on the most contentious political   
   and social issues.   
      
   Nearly 60% of Americans think businesses should not take a public stance   
   on current events, which is up from 52% last year, according to the Gallup   
   poll. Political party, race and age were most indicative of how Americans   
   believed businesses should act.   
      
   Fox News' Brian Flood and Kendall Tietz contributed to this report.   
      
   https://www.foxbusiness.com/media/how-target-bud-light-turned-off-loyal-   
   customers-2023   
      
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