Recently, there has been controversy surrounding Kid Rock and his bar in Nashville. A Twitter user shared a photo of the menu at Kid Rock's Honky Tonk, which showed Bud Light and Bud Light Lime being sold, despite Kid Rock's previous video where he shot up cans of the beer in protest of its partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. The user pointed out the irony of the situation, but Kid Rock did not respond to the tweet.
This incident referred back to a viral video posted by Kid Rock in April, where he shot cases of Bud Light with a semi-automatic rifle while calling for a boycott of the beer. In the video, Kid Rock expressed his disdain for Bud Light and its parent company, Anheuser-Busch. However, it seems that Kid Rock's bar is still selling Bud Light, contradicting his previous statements.
Other Twitter users also shared photos of Kid Rock's Honky Tonk, confirming that Bud Light was indeed available for purchase at the establishment. This discovery surprised some visitors who had expected the bar to align with Kid Rock's boycott.
Since the video and subsequent controversy, Bud Light has experienced a decline in popularity and sales. It has lost its position as the top-selling beer and is now being sold for less than water in some American warehouses. The drop in sales can be attributed to consumers' reaction to Bud Light's association with political and social issues, which goes against the "no politics, no religion" rule often observed by bars.
As the Fourth of July approached, Bud Light's sales continued to decline, plunging 27.9% in the week leading up to June 24. While this figure improved slightly compared to the previous week, it still represented a significant decrease. Unit sales also dropped by 31.3% compared to the same period last year.
The ongoing struggle to regain positive consumer perception has led to calls for change within Bud Light's parent company. Anson Frericks, the former president of Anheuser-Busch Sales and Distribution Company, wrote a column urging the CEO of the company, Brendan Whitworth, to step down. Frericks argued that Whitworth's leadership had caused significant damage to the brand, resulting in billions of dollars lost in market value since Dylan Mulvaney's ad with Bud Light premiered on April 1.
In summary, despite Kid Rock's boycott video, Bud Light is still being sold at his Nashville bar. This has led to criticism and disappointment from some social media users. Meanwhile, Bud Light itself has experienced a decline in sales and market value, prompting calls for changes within its parent company.