Anheuser-Busch and the Anti-Transgender Boycott of Bud Light (B)

This case is suitable for undergraduate- and graduate-level courses in organizational behaviour, leadership, and marketing. This case describes the economic and social factors that influenced Bud Light’s April 2023 promotional campaign and the response of AB InBev company leadership to criticism from various media outlets, religious groups, political figures, and activists who accused Bud Light of pandering to a niche market, exploiting a sensitive issue for commercial gain, violating moral values, and disrespecting “traditional” American culture. This teaching note explores four areas of emphasis: (1) strategy, purpose, and mission; (2) consumer behaviour and marketing communication; (3) responding to boycotts; and (4) crisis management. These areas are interrelated, but the priority and emphasis given to each can be tailored to suit course objectives and instructor preferences. After working through the case and assignment questions, students will be able to do the following:

• Examine how external events and cultural environments can affect a company’s business operations.
• Describe how companies can respond to and manage consumer boycotts.
• Explain the difficulty of executing a communications strategy in the context of cross-cultural complexity.
• Identify the role of a brand’s relationship with its consumers and the business practices that can strengthen or weaken this relationship.