Anheuser-Busch InBev will continue to support the LGBTQ community despite backlash over a Bud Light advertising campaign featuring a transgender influencer that has simmered for nearly three months, CEO Brendan Whitworth said Wednesday.
Bud Light should be "all about bringing people together," he told "CBS Mornings."
"I think the conversation surrounding Bud Light has moved away from beer, and the conversation has become divisive," Whitworth said. "And Bud Light really doesn’t belong there."
AB InBev, the parent company of Bud Light, drew criticism from conservative activists and consumers for hiring transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney for a promotional March Madness campaign.
Bud Light is among a host of brand names being targeted by conservative activists and lawmakers for their support of Pride-themed events and merchandise, including Disney, the Dodgers and Target.
Bud Light lost its top spot in the U.S. beer market to Modelo last month, as sales lagged following the uproar over its partnership with Mulvaney.
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