Beer giant Anheuser-Busch, struggling after sales plummeted after Bud Light's Dylan Mulvaney debacle, has a new dance partner, but this one isn't as controversial. Dew.
The Belgium-based beer company announced Friday a long-term agreement with the International Olympic Committee for the next three Olympic and Paralympic Games.
But the makers of Budweiser, Bud Light, Stella Artois and a host of other beers will be promoting their zero-alcohol beer Corona Cero as the game's global beer sponsor, the company announced. press release.
The move 'underlines our shared commitment' [with the IOC] AB InBev CEO Michel Doukeris added: “Beer is a drink in moderation.”
The sponsorship deal puts Anheuser-Busch on social media, sparking a boycott by a transgender influencer whose advertising for the brand last April caused Bud Light's beer sales to fall to their lowest levels. , which seeks to further distance itself from Bud Light's now infamous partnership with Dylan Mulvaney. Since 1999.
Bud Light lost its 20-year reign as America's best-selling beer, and Anheuser-Busch's other brands, including Budweiser, were also affected.
Although Duqueris did not directly address the Mulvaney controversy, he toasted the media agreement with the IOC.
“This partnership represents an opportunity for our category to positively impact and engage with billions of fans around the world, creating a new era of Olympic spirit as they cheer on their favorite teams and athletes as they aim for gold. We look forward to seeing you in action in the games in 2024, 2026 and 2028,” Duqueris said.
Financial terms of the sponsorship were not disclosed.
Separately on Friday AB InBev said: Michelob Ultra will be a Team USA sponsor for the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris later this year.
The brand will also be a team sponsor for the 2026 Italian Winter Games, known as Milano-Cortina 2026, and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, which will be held in the United States for the first time in nearly 30 years.
The Post has contacted AB InBev and the IOC for comment.
Some social media users were not quick to forgive Anheuser-Busch for the Mulvaney scandal and also criticized the company for choosing Michelob Bold to sponsor the team.
“They pick the person people hate the most. “That's bold,” one user wrote to X, while another said the unexpected move was “like selling out to the highest bidder.”
“I think they'll boycott” the Olympics, another said, adding: “You should be deeply ashamed of yourself.”
Meanwhile, Bud Light recently signed a deal reportedly worth $100 million to be the UFC's primary beer sponsor.
As part of the partnership, Bud Light will have a significant presence in UFC content across broadcast and online beginning in 2024.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the UFC also faced a flurry of calls for a boycott after news of mixed martial arts' six-year deal with Bud Light broke in October.
“Firefly light” [and] Anheuser-Busch is selling idiots to try this,” one outraged user posted at the time. “It's like picking off a scab and it leaves a scar.”
