A local Wyoming news website, Cowboy State Daily, conducted a survey of small-town bars across Wyoming to see if any were experiencing boycotts of Bud Light after Anheuser-Busch's marketing campaign with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
"Cowboy State Daily surveyed 14 bars in small Wyoming towns, from Sundance to Burns," the outlet reported, after initially finding that bars throughout larger Wyoming towns were not experiencing boycotts of Bud Light.
"Two of the 14 declined to comment. Seven of the 12 that commented said they’ve seen no noticeable change in Bud Light sales since the controversy began," their report, published on Wednesday, said. "The remaining five reported changes from barely discernible to very severe."
Five of the 14 bars reported "barely discernible to very severe" changes in Bud Light sales, according to Cowboy State Daily.
BUD LIGHT'S DYLAN MULVANEY CONTROVERSY HITS RURAL DISTRIBUTORS AS BRANDING GURU THINKS CONSUMERS ARE CONFUSED
According to the Wyoming news website, K Bar Saloon in Powell, Wyoming, told the outlet that Bud Light sales have gone down.
"The beer was once the bar’s top seller and now it’s down to No. 2. Many customers have switched to Coors Light," the outlet reported.
Others reported no boycotts or changes in sales.
For The Lucky 5 Lounge in Shoshoni, the outlet reported that "multiple customers have switched, but Bud Light is still selling."
Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth issued a statement on Friday amid backlash after the beer company sent Mulvaney cans of beer with her face on them as part of an ad for the beer company’s March Madness contest and as a way to celebrate a full year of "girlhood."
"As the CEO of a company founded in America’s heartland more than 165 years ago, I am responsible for ensuring every consumer feels proud of the beer we brew. We’re honored to be part of the fabric of this country. Anheuser-Busch employs more than 18,000 people and our independent distributors employ an additional 47,000 valued colleagues. We have thousands of partners, millions of fans and a proud history supporting our communities, military, first responders, sports fans and hard-working Americans everywhere," Whitworth said. "We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer."
Cowboy State Daily conducted another survey on potential Bud Light boycotts earlier in April focused on bars in larger towns. The outlet found that none of those surveyed had seen a change.
"Cowboy State Daily surveyed seven bartenders in large Wyoming towns, and none had seen a change, up or down, in Bud Light sales from the controversy," their report, published on April 6, said.
