Once a leading beer in the United States, Bud Light has fallen out of the top 10 most popular beers following a collaboration with transgender activist and influencer Dylan Mulvaney. A recent YouGov survey reveals Bud Light's descent from ninth place last year to its current 14th position, trailing behind brands like Pabst Blue Ribbon, Miller Genuine Draft, and Miller Lite. The top five spots are held by Guinness, Heineken, Corona, Samuel Adams, and Blue Moon. Interestingly, the percentage of respondents who "liked" Bud Light remained consistent at 42% in the second quarters of both 2022 and 2023.

This decline follows a partnership between Bud Light's parent company, Anheuser-Busch, and Mulvaney, which sparked consumer backlash. The controversy stemmed from personalized Bud Light cans featuring Mulvaney's image, commemorating "365 Days of Girlhood," a TikTok series documenting Mulvaney's first year of identifying as a transgender woman. Further fueling the fire, Bud Light's marketing VP, Alissa Heinerscheid, drew criticism for describing the brand's previous image as "fratty" and its humor as "out of touch."

Consequently, Bud Light sales have plummeted nearly 30% compared to the previous June, with no signs of recovery. Pre-Memorial Day weekend, some stores even offered Bud Light with a $15 rebate, effectively making it free. One Pennsylvania beverage warehouse reportedly priced a 30-pack of Bud Light at just $8.99 after rebate, cheaper than some cases of water. A recent Bud Light advertisement featuring Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce was met with further criticism, deemed a "desperate" attempt to regain lost consumer support. Some online commenters criticized the ad, suggesting it portrayed the brand's target audience as "stupid grunting cavemen." Others pointed out the irony of the ad, given Heinerscheid's earlier remarks about "fratty" and "out of touch" humor.