The Anheuser-Busch brand suffered another blow this week when it appeared that few (if any) people visited the Budweiser tent at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota.
Video of the empty Budweiser tent quickly began circulating on social media Thursday, showing what appeared to be a vacant lot of branded booths.
ZERO attendees at the Budweiser tent in Sturgis
— Old Row (@OldRowOfficial) August 9, 2023
This may be the BIGGEST marketing blunder of all time! pic.twitter.com/iSNqTyyOgc
Budweiser declared itself the official sponsor of this year’s motorcycle event. Per the website:
Budweiser and its local distributor, Quality Brands of the Black Hills, are proud to be the Official Malt Beverage Sponsor of the 83rd Annual – City of Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
Through their combined efforts you will see:
- Custom Sturgis / Budweiser signage and;
- Our mutual donations to local charities that raise money for the Black Hills area.
The local Budweiser distributor, Quality Brands of the Black Hills, has been associated with The Rally for more than 50 years. Budweiser and its distributor partners are long-time supporters of motorcycle events nationwide.
As Breitbart News reported, Bud Light has been hemorrhaging business since it partnered with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, forcing the company to lay off hundreds of workers.
(Instagram/Dylan Mulvaney)
“While we never take these decisions lightly, we want to ensure that our organization continues to be set for future long-term success,” Anheuser-Busch Chief Executive Brendan Whitworth said in a written statement. “These corporate structure changes will enable our teams to focus on what we do best—brewing great beer for everyone.”
Earlier this week, Billy Busch, an heir to the Anheuser-Busch beer empire, said that his ancestors would have “rolled in their graves” over Bud Light’s recent decision.
“I think my family — my ancestors would have rolled over in their graves,” Busch told TMZ. “They believed that transgender, gays, that sort of thing was all a very personal issue. They loved this country because it is a free country and people are allowed to do what they want, but it was never meant to be on a beer can and never meant to be pushed in people’s faces.”
Busch said that the type of customers who would drink a Bud Light are “common folk” who work hard every day and do not want political messaging shoved in their faces.
“You know, I think people who drink beer, I think they’re your common folk. I think they are the blue-collar worker who goes and works hard every single day,” Busch said.
“The last thing they want pushed down their throat or to be drinking is a beer can with that kind of message on it. I just don’t think that’s what they’re looking for. They want their beer to be truly American, truly patriotic, as it always has been. Truly, America’s beer, which Bud Light was and probably isn’t any longer,” he added.
Paul Roland Bois joined Breitbart News in 2021. He also directed the award-winning feature film, EXEMPLUM, which can be viewed for FREE on YouTube or Tubi. A high-quality, ad-free stream can also be purchased on Google Play or Vimeo on Demand. Follow him on Twitter @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms.
