Bud Light Marketing Exec Behind Dylan Mulvaney Campaign Takes ‘Leave of Absence’

The marketing executive who oversaw Bud Light’s collaboration with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney has taken a “leave of absence” from Anheuser-Busch following the company’s partnership that drew the ire of Kid Rock and conservatives.

USA Today reports that Alissa Heinerscheid, Bud Light’s vice president of marketing at the time of the short-lived Mulvaney campaign, will be replaced by Todd Allen, the global vice president of Budweiser.

“We have made some adjustments to streamline the structure of our marketing function to reduce layers so that our most senior marketers are more closely connected to every aspect of our brands activities,” Anheuser-Busch confirmed in a statement, adding the change will “help us maintain focus on the things we do best: brewing great beer for all consumers, while always making a positive impact in our communities and on our country.”

The move comes just over a week after the beverage maker’s CEO Brendan Whitworth issued a carefully crafted piece of crisis PR after Kid Rock opened fire on cases of Bud Light and country singer Travis Tritt banished the beer from his tour rider amid a larger, conservatives-driven boycott. 

“We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer,” Whitworth wrote at the time.

Mulvaney’s collaboration with Bud Light lasted a single six-pack of beer with her likeness on it to celebrate one full year since her transition journey began.

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, the popular content creator discussed how a major part of her journey to womanhood involved changing how she interacted and responded to bad faith critiques.

“At first, I really took it as, ‘Oh, these people are giving me constructive criticism. Let me listen to them. Let me plead with them. Let me over explain myself. Let me see if we can find some common ground,’” Mulvaney told Rolling Stone. “And I’ve now realized that those things are not constructive. They’re pure hatred.”