The Saloon has long since not sold Bud Light or other Anheuser-Busch brews in downtown Minneapolis due to how the beer brand has dealt with backlash from a marketing campaign involving a transgender influencer.
With the Twin Cities Pride Festival taking place this weekend, the Hennepin Avenue bar announced Monday that it is cutting ties with St. Lewis-based brewing giant and replaced its products with beers from local breweries.
The salon’s decision comes after months of controversy after Bad Light partnered with Dylan Mulvaney, who identifies as a transgender woman, in a promotional video on social media on April 1. The brand sent out its specially designed boxes to celebrate its first year post-transformation.
It sparked a conservative backlash, especially on Twitter, and led to a boycott of the drink. The marketing executives in charge of the campaign ended up taking vacations.
John Moore, owner of The Saloon, said Anheuser-Busch had an opportunity to support a marginalized community in a way few other companies had tried, but the company has abandoned the trend.
“I’m very protective of doing business with people who have integrity and don’t get into an anti-queer agenda,” Moore said.
He said Moore replaced products like Bud Light, Michelob Golden Light, and Michelob Ultra two weeks ago. Beers from Minneapolis breweries Modest Brewing Company And Bauhaus Brewery Labs It is now offered instead.
Anheuser-Busch did not respond to a request for comment.
Cans of Bauhaus Brew Labs Wonderstuff Pilsner and Lounge Wizard Hazy Pale Ale are now sold in The Saloon, where the wines are top sellers. “It’s great to see a downtown pub take that stance and go with a local brewer instead that aligns with their values,” said Matt Schwandt, president and co-founder.
While Anheuser-Busch initially received anti-transphobic criticism, it quickly angered Mulvaney’s fans and other LGBTQ supporters who felt the brand was not genuine in its support of Mulvaney or the community.
Minneapolis-based Target faced similar controversy when it pulled some of its Pride merchandise after social media outrage.
After more than two decades as the best-selling beer in America, Bud Light has slipped to number two this month in part because of recent declines in sales.
Modelo Especial, a Mexican beer, outperformed Bud Light in retail sales in US dollar terms in the month ended June 3, according to Nielsen data analyzed by Bump Williams Consulting. Anheuser-Busch InBev also owns Grupo Modelo, a Mexican brewer.
Founded in 1977, the saloon It is one of the oldest gay bars in Minneapolis. Moore said he’s noticed bartenders and customers having good conversations about what’s behind the missing Bud Light bar.
“We’ve had a lot of support from the community to change to homebrew and stand up to what Anheuser-Busch did,” he said.
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