Marketing Executive Out Amid Far-Right Uproar

Topline

Alissa Heinerscheid, Bud Light’s vice president of marketing, has taken a leave of absence, according to AdAge, weeks after the brand was criticized and boycotted by far-right personalities for its marketing partnership with transgender TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney.

Bud Light’s VP of marketing has taken a leave of absence.

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Key Facts

Heinerscheid will be replaced by Todd Allen, who most recently served as Budweiser’s vice president for global marketing, Anheuser-Busch told AdAge.

Anheuser-Busch also revamped its marketing staff so that senior marketing employees are “more closely connected” to the “brand’s activities,” a spokesperson said.

Heinerscheid’s absence comes three weeks after Mulvaney shared a video on social media indicating Bud Light sent her a can with her face on it to celebrate her one-year anniversary of publicly identifying as transgender.

That caused several conservative personalities to criticize the brand, including Kid Rock, who posted a video shooting cans of Bud Light while yelling profanities about the company.

Some Anheuser-Busch facilities have received threats of violence in recent weeks, according to CNN, though the company said it has prioritized the “safety and welfare of our employees and our partners”

Anheuser-Busch did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Forbes.

Crucial Quote

Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth said in a statement last week the company “never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people,” though he did not directly refer to Mulvaney or the partnership.

Contra

Heinerscheid, who has worked for Bud Light since June 2022, said in an interview with the Make Yourself at Home Podcast she intended to “evolve and elevate” Bud Light by “having a campaign that’s truly inclusive” in an effort to attract younger consumers. She also said Bud Light was “in a decline for a really long time” and referred to the company’s previous marketing tactics as “fratty” and “out of touch.” The partnership has sparked false claims about the company firing its entire marketing department. Despite the controversy, conservatives boycotting Bud Light have been mocked online. Noodle, a guitarist for the rock band The Offspring, said he would include Bud Light products in his tour hospitality rider “just to piss off a bunch of dimwitted bigots.”

Key Background

Mulvaney, a former Broadway actress, has posted videos to her TikTok account detailing her gender transition over the last year. She has since garnered more than 10 million followers, in addition to partnerships with a number of brands and media appearances. Mulvaney, who does not discuss most political topics, visited the White House last year to speak with President Joe Biden about transgender rights. She indirectly responded to the backlash she has received this year—suggesting 2023 is a “hellscape”—and said she responds to hate with “trans joy.” She has been supported by celebrities and brands, including Nike, which wrote in an Instagram comment that Mulvaney is “an essential component to the success of your community.”

Tangent

Mulvaney’s partnership with Nike has also drawn conservative backlash, with some calling for a boycott of the athletic brand. Sharron Davies, a former Olympic swimmer, called the partnership “a kick in the teeth” while calling for a boycott. Caitlyn Jenner, a transgender woman and former Olympic athlete, said Nike’s partnership with Mulvaney is “an outrage.”