Republicans aren’t done with the Bud Light and Dylan Mulvaney collaboration. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas has called for an investigation into Bud Light parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE: BUD), alleging that the beermaker, in working with transgender rights advocate, actress, and TikTok star Mulvaney, was potentially marketing the alcoholic beverage to a younger audience.
Cruz, along with Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, claim that the audience of the influencer’s TikTok series, “Days of Girlhood,” is skewed to a demographic that’s too young to legally consume alcohol. The two Republican senators wrote a letter to AB InBev CEO and Beer Institute chairman Brendan Whitworth, urging him to investigate whether the brand violated guidelines.
The Beer Institute is the industry’s regulatory body, it implements selling and advertising guidelines for beer companies, and it prohibits beermakers from promoting their products to younger audiences.
The letter cites a 45-second Instagram video that Mulvaney posted in April, in which she promoted a Bud Light contest. The senators argue that the video was targeted at minors because Mulvaney is a transgender woman and her social media accounts are followed by a large number of young people.
“The use of the phrase ‘Girlhood’ was not a slip of the tongue but rather emblematic of a series of Mulvaney’s online content that was specifically used to target, market to, and attract an audience of young people who are well below the legal drinking age in the United States,” Cruz and Blackburn wrote, adding that “the clear failure to exercise appropriate due diligence when selecting online influencers warrants detailed oversight by Congress.”
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The two also called on Whitworth to “publicly sever its relationship with Dylan Mulvaney, publicly apologize to the American people for marketing alcoholic beverages to minors, and direct Dylan Mulvaney to remove any Anheuser-Busch content from his social media platforms.”
They also demanded that Anheuser-Busch provide “all documents and communications” between the company and Mulvaney.
As of this writing, Bud Light has not yet responded to the letter.
The controversy over Bud Light’s marketing with Mulvaney is part of a larger right-wing trend of anti-transgender rhetoric and legislation in the US. In recent years, there has been a surge in bills aimed at restricting the rights of transgender people, particularly young people. Anti-transgender attacks have dominated the GOP’s platforms in the run-up to the 2024 election.
The investigation into Bud Light’s marketing with Mulvaney is likely to further fuel the debate over transgender rights in the United States.
Information for this story was found via The Hill, The Independent, and the sources and companies mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to the organizations discussed. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
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