Embattled beer king Anheuser-Busch — which has seen sales nosedive over Bud Light’s Dylan Mulvaney fiasco — has a latest dance partner and this one needs to be far less controversial.
The Belgium-based brewer on Friday announced a long-term take care of the International Olympic Committee for the subsequent three Olympics and Paralympic Olympic Games.
Nevertheless, the maker of Budweiser, Bud Light, Stella Artois and a slew of other suds will promote its zero-alcohol beer, Corona Cero, as the worldwide beer sponsor of the games, the corporate said in a press release.
The move “highlights a shared commitment [with the IOC] to responsible beer consumption,” said AB InBev CEO Michel Doukeris, adding that “beer is the beverage of moderation.”
The sponsorship deal further attempts to distance Anheuser-Busch from Bud Light’s now-infamous tie-up with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, whose ad for the brand on social media last April led to boycotts that caused Bud Light beer sales to plummet to their lowest level since 1999.
Bud Light was knocked from its two-decade perch because the top-selling beer within the US, and Anheuser-Busch’s other brands, including Budweiser, suffered residual fallout.
Doukeris, who never directly addressed the Mulvaney controversy, toasted the news take care of the IOC.
“This partnership illustrates the chance for our category to positively impact and have interaction with billions of fans around the globe, ushering in a latest era of Olympic spirit as we cheer for our favourite teams and athletes as they go for gold. We glance forward to activating on the 2024, 2026 and 2028 games,” Doukeris said.
Financial terms of the sponsorship weren’t revealed.
Individually on Friday, AB InBev said that Michelob Ultra might be the Team USA sponsor for the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris later this yr.
The brand can even be the team’s sponsor for the 2026 Winter Games in Italy — often known as Milano-Cortina 2026 — and the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles, the primary Olympics to be held within the US in nearly 30 years.
The Post has sought comment from AB InBev and the IOC.
Some social media users weren’t quick to forgive Anheuser-Busch over the Mulvaney incident and in addition took a shot on the selection of Michelob Daring because the team’s sponsor.
“They pick the one people hate probably the most. Daring,” one user wrote on X, while one other said that the unexpected move “is a bit like selling out to the very best bidder.”
“I feel I’ll boycott,” one other said of the Olympics, adding: “You have to be deeply ashamed of yourself.”
Bud Light, meanwhile, recently inked a deal reportedly value $100 million to be the UFC’s primary beer sponsor.
As a part of the partnership, starting in 2024, the Bud Light has had a heavy presence in UFC’s content in its broadcasts and online starting in 2024.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the UFC also faced an influx of calls for a boycott after news broke of the mixed martial arts’ six-year take care of Bud Light back in October.
“Bud Light [and] Anheuser-Busch are marketing MORONS, to do this,” one furious user posted on the time. “It’s like picking at a scab, it’s going to leave a scar.”