Following weeks of nationwide boycotts over a controversial partnership, Bud Light is no longer America’s top-selling beer brand. For over two decades, Bud Light held the top spot, but it has now been surpassed by Modelo Especial, a Mexican beer brand that has experienced a surge in sales in recent weeks.
Modelo recorded sales of approximately $333 million in May, while Bud Light generated $297 million, according to data obtained by Newsweek.
“Modelo Especial appears to be increasing its sales growth each week as we get deeper into summer,” consulting firm Bump Williams told CNN.
Longer-term trends show Bud Light remains the top-selling beer brand in America this year so far, according to NielsenIQ.
The trend of boycotting brands supporting the LGBTQ community during Pride month has become prevalent in the ongoing culture war. Consumers are actively withdrawing their support from such brands and often announcing their decisions on social media.
Target, a major retailer, has suffered significant losses. Fox Business reported the big-box retailer’s stock had lost over $15 billion in market value since mid-May.
Kohl’s, Cracker Barrel, The North Face and PetSmart have also faced conservative threats of boycott, although not all have been as effective as the campaigns against Target and Bud Light.
Stock data shows Kohl’s briefly experienced a decline in value when it released rainbow-themed clothing at the end of May. However, the company has since rebounded and currently boasts a higher stock value than before these controversies.
Notably Kohl’s has started discounting a substantial portion of its Pride-themed merchandise before the month’s halfway mark.
A majority of negative social media posts about Pride this year are attacking companies for being “woke” and accusing them of sexualizing or grooming children, says RILA Global Consulting, which monitors over 100 million websites and social media pages daily.
In May and June of 2022, there were fewer than 400 posts calling for Pride-related boycotts, RILA said. This year, in May alone there were more than 15,000.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
