Yuengling Brewery, which holds the distinction of being the oldest brewery in the US, appeared to have landed a viral hit against Bud Light by making a subtle dig through its social media account.
Bud Light faced backlash from several of its supporters after announcing its partnership with transgender TikTok activist Dylan Mulvaney to commemorate Mulvaney’s gender transition during the March Madness basketball tournaments.
Amid the controversy, Yuengling made use of the opportunity by sharing a tweet with an image of the American flag and one of its beer bottles. The caption read, “Yuengling, The Oldest Brewery In America. Independently Owned and Family Operated since 1829 because we make good beer.”
Yuengling, The Oldest Brewery In America. Independently Owned and Family Operated since 1829 because we make good beer. pic.twitter.com/5TdmGiUc5R
— Yuengling Brewery (@yuenglingbeer) April 14, 2023
Despite having only around 89K followers on its social media account, the tweet managed to receive over 4.8 million impressions.
Yuengling’s tweet followed closely on the heels of Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth’s assertion that the company had no intention to “divide people.”
In a statement on Friday, Whitworth said, “As the CEO of a company founded in America’s heartland more than 165 years ago, I am responsible for ensuring every consumer feels proud of the beer we brew. We’re honored to be part of the fabric of this country. Anheuser-Busch employs more than 18,000 people, and our independent distributors employ an additional 47,000 valued colleagues. We have thousands of partners, millions of fans and a proud history supporting our communities, military, first responders, sports fans and hard-working Americans everywhere. We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer.”
Anheuser-Busch sparked a social media firestorm when it released packs of Bud Light featuring Dylan Mulvaney’s face on the cans as part of a marketing campaign to commemorate Mulvaney’s first year of “girlhood.”
The move faced severe criticism from customers and even some celebrities. Reportedly, Anheuser-Busch’s market value declined by $5 billion due to the controversial partnership.
Whether the company is able to regain its lost value remains to be seen.
In 2016, Yuengling Brewery’s owner, Richard Yuengling Jr., made headlines when he endorsed Donald Trump for president. His endorsement sparked outrage from some on the left, leading to several gay bars banning Yuengling from being served.
