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Alissa Heinerscheid, the Vice President of Marketing for Bud Light, who was responsible for the controversial partnership with Dylan Mulvaney, has taken a leave of absence from her position. The news was first reported on Friday, April 21, 2023, by AdAge, which added that Budweiser Global Marketing Vice President, Todd Allen, would replace her in the interim.
On April 3, 2023, the beer giant sent Mulvaney a set of custom-made promotional cans that featured her face. The cans were meant to commemorate a year of her transitioning into a woman as well as to celebrate March Madness.
The move to partner with the trans influencer left several netizens fuming, with many calling for a mass boycott of Bud Light, its products, and even the parent company, Anheuser-Busch. The main reason behind the outcry was her being transgender. Celebrities and professionals like Kid Rock and Ben Shapiro also spoke out against the decision.
Among the comments seen online, one significant demand was to fire the marketing team responsible, including VP Heinerscheid, who was personally attacked for the controversy.
In a March 23 interview with Make Yourself at Home, Alissa Heinerscheid told Kristin Twinford that her "mandate" when she joined Bud Light was to move away from its "fratty" image and attract young drinkers. One of her key strategies to achieve this was "inclusivity."
Her leave of absence announcement left the internet in a frenzy, with many sharing their reactions online.
Bud Light controversy rages on as brand VP takes leave of absence, gets netizens talking
Twitterati were quick to comment on Alissa Heinerscheid's leave of absence. While many rejoiced at the news and called for continued boycotts, others were critical of the cancel culture and the spread of transphobic sentiments.
Here are some comments seen online:
Who is Alissa Heinerscheid?
Heinerscheid is a graduate of the Wharton School at UPenn and Harvard Business School. She has worked for industry giants like General Mills and Johnson & Johnson. She joined Bud Light as the senior director of Communications and in June 2022, became the VP of Marketing. She was hailed as the first woman to lead the company in 41 years.
She was responsible for many of Bud Light's celebrated advertisements, including the Super Bowl ad featuring Miles Teller and his wife Keleigh Sperry, and 'The Bud Light Carry' ad.
Heinerscheid has remained silent since the start of the controversy. No further statements were released by Bud Light at the time of writing this article.
