Fact check: The marketing team the proposed the Dylan Mulbaney partnership was paid actual real money. Bud light would have financially benefitted more had they elected to light that money on fire instead.

1. Summary of the results

The statement's core claim about the financial impact is substantially supported by the data. The Dylan Mulvaney partnership indeed resulted in severe financial consequences for Bud Light:

• Sales declined 9.1% in the U.S. during January-March 2024 ^[1]
• Sales dropped 28% for the week ending June 24 compared to the previous year ^[2]
• The company lost $1.4 billion in U.S. beer sales and over $27 billion in company value ^[3]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements are missing from the original statement:

• Recovery Efforts: While the initial impact was severe, Anheuser-Busch is showing signs of recovery, with revenues reaching $15.57 billion, up from $15.04 billion in the same quarter last year ^[4]
• Personnel Changes: The partnership led to significant organizational changes:

U.S. chief marketing officer Benoit Garbe resigned at the end of 2023 ^[2]

Marketing executive Alissa Heinerscheid, who led the partnership, took a leave of absence ^[5]

• Strategic Intent: The partnership was part of a larger strategy to transform Bud Light's brand and attract younger drinkers through an inclusive approach ^[5]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The statement's hyperbolic comparison to "lighting money on fire" oversimplifies a complex business decision:

• While the financial impact was indeed severe, the company is showing signs of "stabilization in the U.S. market" ^[4]
• The statement ignores the original strategic intent behind the partnership, which was part of a broader marketing strategy to appeal to younger demographics ^[5]
• The backlash was primarily driven by conservative consumers and public figures like Kid Rock ^[6], suggesting the financial impact was largely due to political polarization rather than purely marketing effectiveness

This situation demonstrates how marketing decisions in today's politically charged environment can have far-reaching consequences beyond their intended business objectives.