The UFC has partnered with Bud Light for a six-year deal worth over $100 million after the Dylan Mulvaney fiasco. UFC CEO Dana White said Budweiser was one of the UFC’s first sponsors during the early stages of the company’s development. White says that he understands there will be backlash toward the announcement due to Bud Light’s recent history. The backlash does not intimidate White who says that the good the company does outshines their recent mistakes. He touted the thousands of jobs and millions of dollars they contribute to businesses such as farmers as reasons why the UFC has renewed its partnership with Bud Light.
Bud Light is trying to recover the financial losses the Dylan Mulvaney partnership created. That “influencer” sponsorship was considered one of the worst marketing decisions ever. Mulvaney was given personalized Bud Light beer cans and a promo code to give the beverage away to his followers. The marketing team probably figured that Mulvaney would only speak to his followers and that others wouldn’t really care to notice, but they were sadly mistaken. The transgender influencer was noticed by nearly all of the internet. There was an immediate backlash and boycott of Bud Light. The fiasco is estimated to have cost the company $27 billion.
SOURCES:
UFC partners with Bud Light as embattled beer tries to fight off Dylan Mulvaney backlash
UFC announces Bud Light as its official beer in partnership with Anheuser-Busch | Fox News
Bud Light makes a huge branding move after signing a new deal – TheStreet
UFC’s Dana White says Bud Light partnership was not ‘determined by money’ | Fox Business
UFC inks multi-year sponsorship deal with Anheuser-Busch worth over $100M
