Pour one out for Bud Light, which has been so weighed down by its ill-fated Dylan Mulvaney ad campaign that it has now tumbled to No. 3 in popularity in the U.S. after being No. 1.
Modelo Especial, a Mexican import sold by Constellation Brands, has taken over the top spot in the U.S., accounting for 9.7% of beer dollar sales in American stores in the four weeks that ended July 6, according to NielsenIQ data that was analyzed by the Bump Williams consulting firm, per the New York Post.
Low-carb offering Michelob Ultra came in at second place with 7.3% of beer dollar sales nationwide, the data showed, while Bud Light represented 6.5% of beer dollar sales during the four-week period. The former and latter are both owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev.
Before April of last year, Bud Light led the pack in holding market share in the U.S.
In February 2023, Bud Light registered more than 10% of total beer sales at retail locations nationwide, the Post reported.
Then came the decision by Bud Light’s marketing department to hire Mulvaney, a transgender social-media influencer with millions of followers, as part of a March Madness promotion.
Mulvaney posted videos and images on her social media pages with a special, custom-made can of Bud Light with her image and likeness painted on the container.
The backlash was immediate among conservatives who launched a nationwide boycott of the brand that led to sales tanking.