What is Bud Light’s new marketing strategy? $15 rebates, free beer or 14-cent cans of Budweiser

Anheuser-Busch’s number one selling brand Bud Light saw a 28.4 percent drop in sales as of the week ending 13 May after a promotional campaign backfired disastrously. The maker of the “King of Beers” launched a new marketing campaign in an attempt to reverse the hemorrhaging sales of the company’s flagship beer and other brands that they have been experiencing since early April.

Customers can get up to $15 back with the purchase of a 15-pack or larger of Budweiser, Bud Light, Budweiser Select, or Budweiser Select 55 for a limited time. Customers have until 31 May to take advantage of the “Bud Light On Us” rebate which will come in the form of a digital prepaid card. Customers will then have up to six months to use the rebate on a future purchase.

In order to take advantage of the promotion, customers must complete the online form, provide proof of purchase and an image of the case’s barcode. The offer is good for only one rebate per household.

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$15 rebates, free beer or 14-cent cans of Budweiser

The promotion was launched ahead of the Memorial Day weekend looking to take advantage of the unofficial kickoff to summer when many Americans gather for barbecues and generally a prime time for beer sales. But there is no sign that the boycott of the “Easy to drink - Easy to enjoy” beer is letting up.

Across social media images were posted of shelves packed with Bud Light despite the rebate slashing to cost to $3.49 for a 24 pack reported offered by at least one retailer, that’s just 14 cents per can. Customers can receive the coupon though with the purchase of a 15-pack of Bud Light, which in some areas sells for less than $15, essentially making the beer free.

Earlier this month, there were posts on social media mocking the brand for basically giving people money to drink its beer. In one store, a 24-pack of Bud Light was on sale for $19.98 but came with a $20 rebate.

How did the firestorm over Bud Light and Anheuser-Busch begin?

The marketing department at Bud Light sent transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney specialty personalized Bud Light cans that had her picture on them. The partnership coincided with the one-year anniversary since Mulvaney began identifying as a woman and the NCAA March Madness tournament.

The furor erupted after Mulvaney posted a comedic video on TikTok and customers thought that Bud Light would be putting the specialty cans in stores offending the company’s core consumer. It also comes as customers are becoming more vocal about brands taking a stance, or not, on social issues. The fallout, besides the fall in sales, has led to two marketing executives being put on leave, delivery drivers being harassed by the public and even threats of violence against the company and employees.