Senators Launch Probe into Anheuser-Busch: Marketing to Minors?

This week Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, opened a Senate investigation into Anheuser-Busch over the Bud Light Dylan Mulvaney ad campaign.

This week witnessed an intriguing turn of events as Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, launched a Senate investigation into Anheuser-Busch, in connection with the controversial Bud Light Dylan Mulvaney ad campaign. Shedding light on the investigation, Senator Cruz, along with Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, penned a letter addressed to Brendan Whitworth, the CEO of Anheuser-Busch, urging the company to conduct its own internal inquiry into the campaign and sever all ties with Mulvaney. As Senator Cruz embarks on this comprehensive investigation, the Senate will closely look into not only the actions of the beer company but also delve into the specifics of the campaign involving Mulvaney. Of particular concern to the two Senators is the potential for the campaign to have targeted underage consumers, thereby raising questions about responsible marketing practices within the alcoholic beverage industry.

According to HuffPost the letter included,

“We would urge you, in your capacity at Anheuser-Busch, to avoid a lengthy investigation by the Beer Institute by instead having Anheuser-Busch publicly sever its relationship with Dylan Mulvaney, publicly apologize to the American people for marketing alcoholic beverages to minors, and direct Dylan Mulvaney to remove any Anheuser-Busch content from his social media platforms.”

“The use of the phrase ‘Girlhood’ was not a slip of the tongue but rather emblematic of a series of Mulvaney’s online content that was specifically used to target, market to, and attract an audience of young people who are well below the legal drinking age in the United States.”

On Mulvaney’s TikTok the influencer uses the phrase “girlhood,” every day to document days of girlhood since transitioning and becoming a “woman.” Cruz and Blackburn have used this as evidence that Mulvaney and Bud Light were targeting underage consumers. As Mulvaney is marketing towards a younger audience, not Bud Light’s typical demographic, it is questionable for the beer company to use Mulvaney in their advertisement.

Dylan Mulvaney’s content is directed at a younger audience – he bought Barbie dolls and roleplayed as a 6-year-old named Eloise.

Bud Light is an adult beverage.

Anheuser-Busch needs to answer our questions about their partnership with Mulvaney. pic.twitter.com/8gEx6POpjY

— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) May 18, 2023

Do you think Cruz and Blackburn have a case? Do you think Bud Light was targeting a younger audience? Do you think they were off base by using Mulvaney in the advertisement?