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Salty Origins

BUD LIGHT's Comeback: The Power of Knowing Your Audience

Writer's picture: Jade SteelJade Steel

If you were on social media in 2023, you probably saw the Bud Light boycott.


Bud Light, once America’s best-selling beer and an institution among blue-collar workers, made a marketing decision that backfired spectacularly—and they paid for it.


Let’s talk about what happened, how they lost their customers, and how they pulled off what I think is one of the biggest brand recoveries in recent years.



In 2023, Bud Light made a controversial marketing move by partnering with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney for a campaign.


Their Vice President of Marketing at the time, Alissa Heinerscheid, openly criticized Bud Light’s traditional branding, saying:

“Bud Light had been kind of a brand of fratty, kind of out-of-touch humor, and it was really important that we had another approach.”

Unsurprisingly, this rubbed their core audience the wrong way.


For decades, Bud Light had built a very loyal customer base of working-class Americans, and suddenly, they felt like Bud Light was distancing itself from them—or worse, insulting them.


It felt forced. It felt political. And it alienated the people who had been drinking Bud Light for years.


The backlash was immediate.




The Boycott: Losing America’s Best-Selling Beer Title


The controversy exploded, and #GoWokeGoBroke started trending.


And then Kid Rock—the rock/country singer known for 'All Summer Long'—filmed himself shooting cases of Bud Light with an assault rifle, and saying "F**k Bud Light".


Yikes.


It went viral, and thousands of former Bud Light drinkers followed suit, publicly dumping the beer.


The financial damage was massive:


📉 Bud Light lost an estimated $395 million in sales.

📉 They were no longer America’s best-selling beer for the first time in decades.

📉 Stores and bars reported plummeting demand, and many had to stop serving the beer altogether due to the drama.


They had a major problem.




The Road to Redemption: Winning Back Their Audience


Bud Light had two choices:


1️⃣ Stick to their guns and double down.

2️⃣ Admit their mistake and win back their audience.


At first, they doubled down.


They defended their marketing decision online, but the more they fought, the worse it got. They quickly realized that if they wanted to recover, they had to change course—fast.


So, they did.




Internal Actions: Leadership Changes and Strategic Shifts


In the wake of the backlash, Anheuser-Busch took decisive internal actions to address the situation. The company announced that Alissa Heinerscheid, the Vice President of Marketing who spearheaded the controversial campaign, would be taking a leave of absence. She was replaced by Todd Allen, the Vice President of Global Marketing.


Additionally, Daniel Blake, another marketing executive involved in the campaign, was also placed on leave. These leadership changes signaled Anheuser-Busch's recognition of the missteps and their commitment to realigning their marketing strategies with the preferences of their core customer base.


Then, they got to work.




Step 1: The Super Bowl Reset


Bud Light’s first major attempt to win back customers was at the 2023 Super Bowl, with an ad featuring Top Gun: Maverick actor Miles Teller and his wife dancing while drinking Bud Light.


It was lighthearted and fun… but lacked the classic Bud Light humour, and was clearly targeted more towards a different demographic.


It didn’t quite land.


By the 2024 Super Bowl, though?


They were back.


Their ad, “Easy Night Out,” was a return to what made Bud Light great:


Silly, lighthearted, and fun.

No political messaging.

A classic Bud Light ad.


And to top it off? Post Malone made a cameo.


For those who don’t know, Post Malone is one of the biggest musicians in the world, known for his laid-back, fun personality—and his love of beer.


And?


He was already a Bud Light drinker.


He had been seen drinking it on stage, in interviews, and on social media for years.





Step 2: Rebuilding Trust with Their Core Audience


Bud Light knew they had to mend fences, so they sent cases of beer to Kid Rock, and the CEO personally reached out to him.


A few months later?


Kid Rock was spotted at a concert…casually drinking Bud Light.

He even publicly said:

"All is forgiven."

That was huge for their comeback.




Step 3: The Shane Gillis Sponsorship


Then came their smartest move yet—partnering with Shane Gillis.


If you haven't heard of Shane Gillis… how? But also, here’s what you need to know:


🔹 He’s one of the funniest, no-filter comedians out there (and one of my personal favourites)

🔹 He was fired from SNL before he even made his debut, and then cancelled, for making politically incorrect jokes - however the cancellations only made him stronger, and he came back in 2024 to host the show (which he crushed).

🔹 He’s exactly the kind of “everyman” that Bud Light needed to win back.


And the best part?


Shane was already a massive Bud Light fan.


He’d been seen drinking it on stage, at concerts, on Joe Rogan’s podcast, on his own Matt & Shane’s Secret Podcast, and on shows like Kill Tony—one of the biggest comedy podcasts in the world.


On shows over the years, his friends even joked that Bud Light should sponsor Shane—because he was basically promoting them for free.


So when Bud Light actually sponsored him, it didn’t feel fake.


It felt natural.

It was a perfect match.


Here's proof that partnering with Shane was genius:



And just this week, they brought Shane and Post Malone together for a hilarious new ad series that has been getting thousands of positive comments, likes, and shares. Here's one of them:





What About Dana White?


Dana White, the president of the UFC, also played a huge role in Bud Light’s comeback.


Despite the controversy, he signed a multi-million-dollar sponsorship deal with Bud Light in late 2023 and stood by them, saying:

“I don’t care what your politics are, I don’t care what you believe in. Bud Light has supported UFC since the beginning, and we support them.”

This helped bring legitimacy back to Bud Light, especially with sports fans.




The Takeaways from Bud Light’s Comeback


Bud Light’s recovery wasn’t an accident. They learned from their mistakes, and there’s a lot to take away from this.


📌 Know your audience.

Bud Light had a die-hard customer base. In trying to reach a new audience, they completely alienated their old one. Your brand doesn't need to appeal to everyone.


📌 Stay true to what works.

Not every business needs to chase trends or follow cultural shifts—especially if it doesn’t align with their existing customers.


📌 If you make a mistake, own it.

Bud Light could’ve doubled down forever, but instead, they listened, adjusted, and are winning their customers back.


📌 Marketing is about connection.

The Shane Gillis sponsorship worked because it was authentic. He was already drinking Bud Light. He wasn’t a random celebrity or influencer pushing a product—he was their customer.


📌 You don’t have to give in to cultural pressures.

Not every brand needs to make a political statement or follow the latest trend. Sometimes people just want a good product, and to be entertained.


Stay true to your audience, and they’ll stay loyal to you.





Final Thoughts


Bud Light made one of the biggest marketing mistakes in recent years.


But instead of letting it sink them, they pivoted, adapted, and got back on track.


It’s proof that even if you’re a massive brand, your customers are always watching—and if you lose their trust, they won’t stick with you just because.


But what do you think?


Did Bud Light do enough to win people back, or is the damage done for good?🍻 Drop your thoughts below!

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