Montgomery beer distributor on Bud Light controversy: ‘You deserve to know the truth’

[aubiefifty 18,441]

Montgomery beer distributor on Bud Light controversy: ‘You deserve to know the truth’

Updated: May. 18, 2023, 1:35 p.m.|Published: May. 18, 2023, 9:56 a.m.

3–4 minutes

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By

• William Thornton | wthornton@al.com

A Montgomery-based Anheuser-Busch wholesale beer distributor has taken to the airwaves to share his displeasure with the Dylan Mulvaney controversy that reportedly caused sales of Bud Light to plummet nationally.

Steve Tatum, of Montgomery-based Bama Budweiser, addresses the issue in a one-minute radio ad airing on about 10 Montgomery and Selma area radio stations.

“We too at Bama Budweiser are upset about it and have made our feelings known to the top leadership at Anheuser-Busch,” Tatum says in the ad. “The voice of the consumer has been heard, and Anheuser-Busch has taken action.”

Last month, Mulvaney, a trans social media influencer, posted an ad for Bud Light on Instagram showing a custom beer can. The video prompted a backlash among other celebrities and boycott among customers.

Earlier this month, Anheuser-Busch pledged to give a case of Bud Light to every employee of an Anheuser-Busch wholesaler. The country’s largest brewer has also pledged to boost its marketing spending on Bud Light.

According to the Wall Street Journal, in the week ending April 22, Bud Light’s U.S. retail-store sales fell 21.4% over the same period from last year. Meanwhile, sales of rival brands Coors Light and Miller Lite grew by an almost equal amount.

Bama Budweiser, in business since 1988, has two facilities in central Alabama and covers Autauga, Elmore, Montgomery, Dallas, Lowndes, Perry, Wilcox and Clarke counties.

Tatum said feedback on the ad has been completely positive, with a phone call coming from Nevada to show support. There has been no response from the corporate level, he said.

“I’m just trying to look after Bama Budweiser,” he said. “I’ve worked too hard to give it all away.”

In a one-minute radio spot, Tatum, vice president and general manager of Bama Budweiser, says:

“We at Bama Budweiser, an independent wholesaler, employ around 100 people who live here, work here, and our children go to school here. We do not, and as I said before, did not support this issue involving Dylan Mulvaney. There was one single can made. It was not for sale and wasn’t properly approved. As a result, the Bud Light brand has new leadership.

“Dylan Mulvaney is not under contract with Bud Light. The videos you may have seen are Mulvaney’s own social media posts that went viral and many web-based news outlets have distorted the story. You deserve to know the truth, and life is too short to let a couple of individuals decide what you can eat or drink or spend your hard-earned money on. And remember, making friends is our business, not enemies.”

[I_M4_AU 9,038]

It appears the boycott is working.  Anheuser-Busch needs to apologize to its consumers and be done with it.

[arein0 1,109]

2 hours ago, I_M4_AU said:

It appears the boycott is working.  Anheuser-Busch needs to apologize to its consumers and be done with it.

Apologize for what?

[I_M4_AU 9,038]

Just now, arein0 said:

Apologize for what?

For abandoning their customers, what else?

[arein0 1,109]

Just now, I_M4_AU said:

For abandoning their customers, what else?

I didn't realize they stopped producing beer to be sold?

[I_M4_AU 9,038]

2 minutes ago, arein0 said:

I didn't realize they stopped producing beer to be sold?

They didn’t stop, but they should produce a lot less because of the advertising campaign they chose to run.

[arein0 1,109]

1 minute ago, I_M4_AU said:

They didn’t stop, but they should produce a lot less because of the advertising campaign they chose to run.

Oh, so they didn't abandon any customers. Sounds like some customers were upset they were advertising to a different target audience. Isn't that what you'd call a snowflake ❄️ and is the definition of cancel culture?

[I_M4_AU 9,038]

2 minutes ago, arein0 said:

Oh, so they didn't abandon any customers. Sounds like some customers were upset they were advertising to a different target audience. Isn't that what you'd call a snowflake ❄️ and is the definition of cancel culture?

The snowflake is Mulvaney and the fact that Anheuser-Busch is targeting a different audience with a man pretending to be a girl (not a woman) proves they don’t think much of their old (used to be loyal) customers.  It’s about time the conservatives started to show a little back bone.

[arein0 1,109]

7 minutes ago, I_M4_AU said:

The snowflake is Mulvaney and the fact that Anheuser-Busch is targeting a different audience with a man pretending to be a girl (not a woman) proves they don’t think much of their old (used to be loyal) customers.  It’s about time the conservatives started to show a little back bone.

Where did you see this advertisement, because I didn't see it on TV at all? I could've missed it since all I watch is sports.

[Leftfield 3,417]

15 minutes ago, I_M4_AU said:

The snowflake is Mulvaney and the fact that Anheuser-Busch is targeting a different audience with a man pretending to be a girl (not a woman) proves they don’t think much of their old (used to be loyal) customers.  It’s about time the conservatives started to show a little back bone.

Acts like a snowflake, still claims a Democrat is being a snowflake. 

Can't make this stuff up.

[arein0 1,109]

4 minutes ago, Leftfield said:

Acts like a snowflake, still claims a Democrat is being a snowflake. 

Can't make this stuff up.

Not only that but is proud "Conservatives started to show a little back bone." 🤣

[I_M4_AU 9,038]

5 minutes ago, Leftfield said:

Acts like a snowflake, still claims a Democrat is being a snowflake. 

Can't make this stuff up.

That line is getting old.  You got another one?

[I_M4_AU 9,038]

16 minutes ago, arein0 said:

Where did you see this advertisement, because I didn't see it on TV at all? I could've missed it since all I watch is sports.

Since you missed it, here it is:

I’m sure you can identify.

[arein0 1,109]

1 minute ago, I_M4_AU said:

Since you missed it, here it is:

I’m sure you can identify.

Ummm, I think you missed the question. I wasn't asking if it existed. I was asking how you saw it.

Did you see it on TV, as a short ad in a video, or did someone (in-person, social media, article, etc) point you to the ad?

[I_M4_AU 9,038]

6 minutes ago, arein0 said:

Ummm, I think you missed the question. I wasn't asking if it existed. I was asking how you saw it.

Did you see it on TV, as a short ad in a video, or did someone (in-person, social media, article, etc) point you to the ad?

Well, you said you haven’t seen it so I pulled it up for you.  How did you like it?  Did it make you want to go out and buy a Bud Lite?   I really don’t remember where I saw it first.  It could have been on one of those right wing blogger podcasts.  It didn’t make me want to buy a Bud Lite, but I don’t drink Bud Lite.

[alexava 6,976]

We are just too “ fratty” and “ out of touch” to comprehend it ...

[icanthearyou 4,468]

19 minutes ago, I_M4_AU said:

Since you missed it, here it is:

I’m sure you can identify.

Why do you find this offensive?

[arein0 1,109]

Just now, I_M4_AU said:

Well, you said you haven’t seen it so I pulled it up for you.  How did you like it?  Did it make you want to go out and buy a Bud Lite?   I really don’t remember where I saw it first.  It could have been on one of those right wing blogger podcasts.  It didn’t make me want to buy a Bud Lite, but I don’t drink Bud Lite.

I didn't watch it. My point is that this ad wasn't a national ad, it was a small targeted ad to appeal to the LGBTQ population.

Neither of us saw it in our day to day routines, which tells me someone had to go out of there way to see it and tell others to be upset about it, aka snowflake ❄️.

[alexava 6,976]

19 minutes ago, I_M4_AU said:

Since you missed it, here it is:

I’m sure you can identify.

 

2 minutes ago, I_M4_AU said:

Well, you said you haven’t seen it so I pulled it up for you.  How did you like it?  Did it make you want to go out and buy a Bud Lite?   I really don’t remember where I saw it first.  It could have been on one of those right wing blogger podcasts.  It didn’t make me want to buy a Bud Lite, but I don’t drink Bud Lite.

I did drink Bud Light. I will still drink it if someone else is buying. I won’t buy it myself. I’m not boycotting because I don’t encourage anyone else to avoid it. I just don’t feel good supporting anything Anheuser Busch. 

[Leftfield 3,417]

26 minutes ago, I_M4_AU said:

That line is getting old.  You got another one?

You mean like "it's about time conservatives started to show a little backbone?"

You've been saying that for years.

[icanthearyou 4,468]

50 minutes ago, I_M4_AU said:

 It’s about time the conservatives started to show a little back bone.

You mean more bigotry?  How would opposing this human being show any "backbone"?

[aubiefifty 18,441]

5 minutes ago, I_M4_AU said:

Well, you said you haven’t seen it so I pulled it up for you.  How did you like it?  Did it make you want to go out and buy a Bud Lite?   I really don’t remember where I saw it first.  It could have been on one of those right wing blogger podcasts.  It didn’t make me want to buy a Bud Lite, but I don’t drink Bud Lite.

we call them right wing blooper podcasts.............

[alexava 6,976]

1 minute ago, icanthearyou said:

You mean more bigotry?  How would opposing this human being show any "backbone"?

Choosing not to celebrate a” year of girlhood” with a 28 year old man who likes sleeepover parties with 13 year old girls, is not bigotry. 

[aubiefifty 18,441]

1 minute ago, alexava said:

Choosing not to celebrate a” year of girlhood” with a 28 year old man who likes sleeepover parties with 13 year old girls, is not bigotry. 

so you are saying she is a ped? got any proof or is that the hate in your heart coming out?

[icanthearyou 4,468]

7 minutes ago, alexava said:

Choosing not to celebrate a” year of girlhood” with a 28 year old man who likes sleeepover parties with 13 year old girls, is not bigotry. 

How do you know this?