EXCLUSIVE: Bud Light marketing chief breaks cover in NYC for the first time since Dylan Mulvaney partnership debacle which has seen $6b knocked off the market value of brewing giant
- Alissa Heinerscheid was spotted near her $7.5million Manhattan home amid the backlash
- It is the first time the vice president of Bud Light has been seen in public since the disastrous move
- She told a business podcast on March 30 she wanted to trade the brand’s ‘fratty’ reputation for ‘inclusivity’
Bud Light’s marketing executive has broken cover for the first time after the brand lost $6billion in just six days after using trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney for their campaign.
Vice President Alissa Heinerscheid, 39, was spotted leaving her $7.5million Manhattan apartment close to Central Park – flanked by two men who appeared to be her security.
When approached for comment on the fiasco at the brewing giant by DailyMail.com on Thursday she said: ‘No’.
She lives at the three-bed and three-and-a-half bath overlooking the park with her husband, Henry, 40, and three children.
Heinerscheid was appointed to the role in July and has been blamed for the backlash against the brand for using Mulvaney to plug the beer.
Alissa Heinerscheid, 39, declined to comment when asked about the Dylan Mulvaney drama at the brewing giant
The VP was spotted leaving her $7.5million Manhattan apartment close to Central Park after the backlash
She had a brief conversation with doormen at the building before making the walk to a nearby hotel, happily chatting to two men who met her at the door.
In pictures taken by DailyMail.com the marketing executive can be seen laughing and smiling despite the backlash the company is facing.
Just days after the business hemorrhaged stock, she was seen enjoying a walk with three female companions and two children.
She grinned as they went for a walk in the park and visited the zoo before grabbing a coffee.
The decision to use Mulvaney to promote the brand was reportedly taken by a ‘low-level’ marketing executive, rather than a senior member of Heinerscheid’s team.
But Heinerschied has found herself at the middle of the storm – being blamed for the decision to hire controversial Mulvaney.
On March 30, she gave an interview to a business podcast in which she said she wanted to make Bud Light less ‘fratty’ and more ‘inclusive’.
Two days later, on April 1, Mulvaney – who began transitioning to a woman in 2021 – was unveiled as a brand partner.
Just days after the business hemorrhaged stock, she was seen enjoying a walk with three female companions and two children
Mulvaney’s Instagram beer promotion saw the influencer knocking back Bud Light in the tub
In pictures taken by DailyMail.com the marketing executive can be seen laughing and smiling despite the backlash the company is facing
She had a brief conversation with doormen at the building before making the walk to a nearby hotel, happily chatting to two men who met her at the door
Many conservative famous faces swiftly dropped Bud Light, with Kid Rock shooting at several cases of the beer and saying ‘f*** Bud Light, and f*** Anheuser-Busch. Have a terrific day.’
It comes after insiders revealed that ‘no one at a senior level’ at Anheuser-Busch was aware of the partnership.
The decision to include Mulvaney in the campaign was taken by a ‘low-level marketing staffer,’ two sources close told The Daily Wire.
The partnership was undertaken by ‘some low-level marketing staffer who helps manage the hundreds of influencer engagements they do and was a ‘mistake’.
Anheuser-Busch and Bud Light have not responded to multiple requests for comment from DailyMail.com.
The controversial partnership saw Mulvaney promote America’s bestselling beer to 11 million followers on social media in a series of sponsored posts.
It comes after insiders revealed that ‘no one at a senior level’ at Anheuser-Busch was aware of the partnership
Heinerscheid previously worked in AB marketing before moving to take the helm as Bud Light’s vice president in July last year
The partnership was undertaken by ‘some low-level marketing staffer who helps manage the hundreds of influencer engagements they do and was a ‘mistake’
Her posts saw musician Kid Rock pull the beers from his bar, and country singers John Rich and Travis Tritt both publicly denouncing the band.
Anheuser-Busch has only made one public comment on the debacle, confirming the Bud Light cans showing Mulvaney’s face were a personal gift to the influencer, and not for sale to the public.
They said: ‘Anheuser-Busch works with hundreds of influencers across our brands as one of many ways to authentically connect with audiences across various demographics.
‘From time to time we produce unique commemorative cans for fans and for brand influencers, like Dylan Mulvaney.
‘This commemorative can was a gift to celebrate a personal milestone and is not for sale to the general public.’
Amid the backlash, AB’s market capitalization has dropped nearly $6billion in the past 10 days, a decline of nearly 5 percent.
Bud Light gave the influencer a commemorative can of beer
Country singers Travis Tritt (left) and John Rich (right) vowed to cut ties with Anheuser-Busch over the polarizing partnership with Mulvaney
Although Heinerscheid says the Bud Light brand is on the wane, it remains the flagship beer of Anheuser-Busch.
The Belgian multinational, the world’s largest brewer, saw its profits rise above expectations to more than 7 per cent in the first quarter of 2023.
It reported last month its core profit – earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization – was $4.95 billion.
Heinerscheid previously worked in AB marketing before moving to take the helm as Bud Light’s vice president in July last year.
Her LinkedIn profile proudly states that she is the ‘first female to lead the largest beer brand in the industry.’
Heinerscheid spoke on a business podcast on March 30 to claim that the Anheuser-Busch beer had been ‘in decline for a really long time’ – despite it being America’s number one brew with a market share of more than 13 per cent.
Alissa Heinerscheid (right), vice president of marketing for Budweiser, was seen in a series of leaked photos from 2005 at a Harvard social club event downing bottles of beer
The photos came straight from Heinerscheid’s Facebook, under the album ‘Isis Senior Reverse Initiation Scavenger Hunt,’ before she deleted them
Alissa Heinerscheid told the Make Yourself at Home podcast on March 30 that she was convinced Bud Light must incorporate ‘inclusivity, it means shifting the tone, it means having a campaign that’s truly inclusive, and feels lighter and brighter and different, and appeals to women and to men’
The Harvard graduate declared it essential to attract more female and younger drinkers because otherwise ‘there will be no future for Bud Light.’
She told the Make Yourself at Home podcast that she was convinced Bud Light must incorporate ‘inclusivity, it means shifting the tone, it means having a campaign that’s truly inclusive, and feels lighter and brighter and different, and appeals to women and to men.’
Heinerscheid claimed she had a ‘super clear’ mandate ‘to evolve and elevate this incredibly iconic brand.’
She criticized Bud Light’s former marketing strategy as dated and male-focused – calling it a ‘hangover’.
Speaking on the podcast she said: ‘Bud Light had been kind of a brand of fratty, kind of out of touch humor, and it was really important that we had another approach.
‘’I had a really clear job to do when I took over Bud Light, and it was ”this brand is in decline, it’s been in a decline for a really long time, and if we do not attract young drinkers to come and drink this brand there will be no future for Bud Light”.’
Photos posted on Heinerscheid’s Facebook account have since circulated showing the Bud Light VP at university blowing up condoms and chugging bottles of lager at one of many Harvard social club parties.
Bud Light’s parent company has lost more than $6billion in market capitalization since announcing its partnership with Mulvaney
In the video posted last week, Kid Rock turned to the camera after shooting a case of Bud Light, raised a middle finger and declared ‘F*** Bud Light and f*** Anheuser-Busch!’
Trans activist Dylan Mulvaney is seen arriving at a studio in Hollywood on Tuesday
Nike faced similar online backlash over a brand partnership with Mulvaney last week, but has forged ahead with social media posts and struck back at critics.
Mulvaney has hit back at her critics over the Bud Light deal, telling Rosie O’Donnell on her podcast: ‘The reason that I think I am so…I’m an easy target is because I’m so new to this.
‘I think going after a trans woman that’s been doing this for like 20 years is a lot more difficult. I think maybe they think that there’s some sort of chance with me … But what is their goal?
‘These people, they don’t understand me, and anything that I do or say then somehow gets taken out of context and is used against me, and it’s so sad because everything I try to put out is positive.
‘It’s trying to connect with others that maybe don’t understand me. It’s to make people laugh or to make a kid feel seen.’
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