"Woke=Broke": Netizens react as Bud Light maker Anheuser Busch lays offs hundreds of U.S. employees

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Netizens react as Bud Light maker Anheuser Busch lays offs hundreds of U.S. employees (Image via Getty Images)
Netizens react as Bud Light maker Anheuser Busch lays offs hundreds of U.S. employees (Image via Getty Images)

Renowned beer brand Anheuser Busch, popularly known for producing Bud Light and other beverages, has recently announced a significant downsizing of its U.S. workforce, which has resulted in hundreds of employees losing their jobs. This sudden move by the company has sparked strong reactions from netizens, who have taken to social media platforms to express their views on the matter.

The news comes at a time when Anheuser Busch-proudced Bud Light was reeling under fire for collaborating with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney. As the news of the layoffs came to light, several right supporters made fun of the company's situation and said that this is happening because of their woke take. Some have even commented how the propagation of woke ideologies would result in bankruptcy.

Social media user's reaction (Image via snip from Twitter/@bruceash12)
Social media user's reaction (Image via snip from Twitter/@bruceash12)

According to a statement that was reported by various media outlets, the company disclosed on Wednesday, July 26, that its plan to implement layoffs would impact less than 2% of its extensive workforce of around 18,000 employees across the nation. The CEO of Anheuser Busch, Brendan Whitworth, said in a statement:

“Today we took the very difficult but necessary decision to eliminate a number of positions across our corporate organization.”

He further mentioned:

“While we never take these decisions lightly, we want to ensure that our organization continues to be set for future long-term success.”

It was also stated in the statement that the layoff will not affect frontline staff, including essential roles such as "brewery and warehouse staff, drivers, and field sales, among others.”


Conservatives were elated after the news of Anheuser Busch laying off hundreds of employees surfaced online

When Anheuser Busch, the maker of Bud Light and other popular beverages, revealed its plan to downsize its U.S. workforce, it generated significant attention and discussion online. The company said that the layoffs would impact a relatively small percentage of its nationwide staff.

However, the news sparked various kinds of reactions from conservatives, who were generally elated to come across the news of Anheuser Busch.

For those unaware, when Bud Light came under fire for their "woke" take on business by supposedly making Dylan Mulvaney the spokesperson, several conservatives expressed their disappointment with the news. On social media platforms, particularly Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, posts discussing the same began to circulate rapidly as they mocked and criticized the move.

Some of these posts depicted users disposing Bud Light cans in creative ways, expressing their disapproval of the company's woke take. From pouring Bud Light down the sink to using it as target practice, the trend became a symbol of the conservative backlash against Anheuser Busch.


Explaining the Bud Light controversy in brief

The boycott against Bud Light began in April 2023 when the company sent Dylan Mulvaney, a TikTok influencer and trans activist, was sent cans of Bud Light to celebrate her “365 days of Girlhood milestone.” However, the move wasn't taken lightly when conservatives started boycotting Anheuser Busch.

This video led to weeks of backlash, with prominent musicians like Kid Rock and Travis Tritt calling out for a boycott of Bud Light on social media. The reasons behind this move were rooted in what they perceived as the company's alignment with liberal causes and social issues, which they felt did not represent their values.

In April, amid the ongoing boycott and growing scrutiny, the CEO of Anheuser Busch, Brendan Whitworth, addressed the situation. He asserted the company's commitment to fostering unity and bringing people together over a beer, seemingly attempting to strike a balance between the opposing viewpoints. However, his addressal of the issue didn't help to calm the situation.

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Edited by Priya Majumdar
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