Bud Light’s competition partnership with country-music band Midland has been met with criticism and derision on Twitter amid an ongoing boycott of the beer brand.
A message was shared on Bud Light’s account on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday, advertising a contest for patrons to win a pair of tickets to see Midland perform in Oklahoma City on August 15. However, the post was met with a tepid response.
The beer brand has been under fire since the beginning of April, when transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney unveiled a small partnership with the Anheuser-Busch InBev brand. In a video posted to Instagram on April 1, Mulvaney said Bud Light had sent her a can with her face on it to commemorate her 365 days living as a woman.
Mulvaney’s partnership with Bud Light drew condemnation and boycott calls. Musicians Kid Rock, Travis Tritt and John Rich were also among those who spoke out against the brand after the collaboration. Meanwhile, some in the LGBTQ+ community criticized the company for not defending its ties with Mulvaney.
A Bud Light neon sign on August 15, 2019 in Royal Oak, Michigan. The beer brand is facing continued criticism, four months after partnering with social-media influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Scott Legato/Getty Images
Since the calls for a boycott began almost four months ago, Bud Light has seen a drop-off in domestic sales. Revenue remains consistently below what it was at the same time in 2022. The company has also lost its crown as America’s most-popular beer, with Mexican rival Modelo Especial now in the U.S. top spot.
In the face of its ongoing PR woes, Bud Light has continued to share social-media posts, with its contest to win tickets to see Midland being one of the most recent. The competition is part of the brand’s Backyard Tour, which features shows with different bands across the U.S. on a variety of dates in August. Participating bands include OneRepublic, Dashboard Confessional, Bush, and Midland.
Touting the Midland show, a post shared on Bud Light’s X account read: