Bud Light marketing VP behind disastrous Dylan Mulvaney tie-up 'can't talk' ... trends now
Bud Light's marketing executive 'can't talk' about the controversial decision to use transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney in an advertisement for the brand.
Vice President Alissa Heinerscheid took a leave of absence earlier this year following the controversy around the brewing giant's decision to use Mulvaney, 26, for the March Madness campaign.
Heinerscheid, 39, was not the only one to step down after the backlash which created the biggest corporate disaster in a decade – as the VP for Mainstream Brands, Daniel Blake, also removed himself from his role.
But their sudden departure appears premature after bosses said the decision to work with Mulvaney was made by an 'outside agency without management awareness or approval.'
When approached by DailyMail.com regarding claims that she had no idea of the campaign, Heinerscheid declined to comment – but a friend said: 'she's not supposed to talk about it, she can't', before being whisked away.
Vice President Alissa Heinerscheid (left) took a leave of absence earlier this year following the controversy around the brewing giant's decision to use Mulvaney
Since the post by Mulvaney went live on her Instagram on April 1, Anheuser-Busch has tanked more than $26 billion in market value
It is unclear if Heinerscheid is on paid leave from the company, but she joined in 2022 and vowed to freshen up its image.
On March 30, Heinerscheid gave an interview to a business podcast in which she said she wanted to make Bud Light less 'fratty' and more 'inclusive'.
Two days later, on April 1, Mulvaney - who began transitioning to a woman in 2021 - was unveiled as a brand partner.
The firm said both Heinerscheid and Blake 'decided' to temporarily step down, but their decisions were reportedly not voluntary.
'Given the circumstances, Alissa has decided to take a leave of absence which we support. Daniel has also decided to take a leave of absence,' the company said.
Heinerscheid's job was taken over by Todd Allen, who recently served as global vice president of Budweiser.
The specifics of how the can fiasco erupted remain under wraps, though the boycott continues to affect sales and market value of the tarnished brand.
Since the post by Mulvaney went live on her Instagram on April 1, Anheuser-Busch has tanked more than $26 billion in market value.
When approached by DailyMail.com regarding claims that she had no idea of the campaign, Heinerscheid (left) declined to comment – but a friend said: 'she can't talk about it', before being whisked away
It is unclear if Heinerscheid is on paid leave from the company, but she joined in 2022 and vowed to freshen up its image
The specifics of how the can fiasco erupted remain under wraps, though the boycott continues to affect sales and market value of the tarnished brand after joining with Dylan Mulvaney
The company has been forced to give 'financial help' to the frontline workers impacted by the boycott, according to a statement made by global CEO Michel Doukeris.
Sales of Bud Light have also plummeted 25.7 percent for the week ending May 20 – compared to that of a year ago, according to Bump Williams Consulting .
It is the steepest drop in sales since the Mulvaney controversy, with Bud Light dropping 24.3 percent from April 1 to May 20.
Anheuser-Busch said earlier this month it would triple its marketing spending in the US this summer as it tries to boost ailing sales.
The marketing decision appears to be one of the worst in American history to come from an advertising backlash.
Only J.C. Penney has beaten Anheuser-Bush and saw their shares plummet more than 25 per cent in 2012
