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Despite Bud Light’s financial collapse, some CEOs don’t seem to be learning from the beer brand’s fatal partnership with transgender Dylan Mulvaney. That, experts say, or they’re choosing to be ignorant.
The New York Post is reporting: "Bud Light distributors no longer expect sales to recover from Dylan Mulvaney disaster."
Apparently, Disney has also reconciled their losses for the same reasons. They are making significant cuts in almost every part of their business, even suggesting they may sell off ESPN, ABC, and other corporately owned companies.
Why are brand-name companies still jumping on board the gender mutilation--- also known as "gender-affirming health care"---wagon?
Be informed, not misled.
The New York Post says, "Many Anheuser-Busch distributors say they are resigned to their painful Bud Light losses — and that they have given up on luring back disaffected customers following the Dylan Mulvaney fiasco, The Post has learned."
After four months of hiring freezes and layoffs — with some beer truck drivers getting heckled and harassed even as Bud Light sales have dropped by more than 25% — Anheuser-Busch wholesalers have accepted that they have lost a chunk of their customers for good — and need to focus on a new crop of drinkers.
“Consumers have made a choice,” said an executive at a Texas-based beer distributor who did not want to be identified. “They have left [Bud Light] and that’s how it’s going to be. I don’t envision a big percentage of them coming back.”
Disney has come to the same conclusion.
Starbucks seems to have sort of tippy-toed around the whole LGBTQ issue appearing to be supportive to the activists while appearing not so much supportive of the LGBTQ agenda to the people who live in the real world.
Target has apparently chosen the same path.
Why are some brand-named companies charging forward to their own peril?
Sarah Holliday, writing for "The Stand" a news site that is part of the Family Research Council, says, "Despite Bud Light’s financial collapse, some CEOs don’t seem to be learning from the beer brand’s fatal partnership with Dylan Mulvaney. That, experts say, or they’re choosing to be ignorant."
She continues, "While consumer outrage continues to crush businesses that align with the trans ideology, Dr. Marten’s and Costa Coffee are jumping into the fray, openly promoting gender mutilation by picturing bare-chested women with top surgery scars on their products. Lauren Fox tweeted directly to Costa Coffee and said, “You are promoting the mutilation of healthy young girls. I hope you are boycotted out of existence.”
And she noted, "The celebration of females who’ve undergone double mastectomies in the name of gender affirmation is spreading — appearing now on Dr. Marten’s new DIY shoes, Costa Coffee’s advertising, and even the video game, Sims 4, where the player can create an avatar with breast removal scars. These brands, just like Bud Light, faced intense criticism quickly."
Jay Richards from The Heritage Foundation commented, “Did Dr. Martens poll test this allusion to ‘top surgery’ with its customer base? Or is it making the same foolish mistake made by Bud Light?” According to a poll conducted by the Washington Post/Kaiser Family Foundation, an overwhelming majority of Americans (68%) oppose minors having access to gender transition procedures. And while Bud Light may not have a market for minors, video games, shoe brands, and coffee shops do.
Strive Management’s head of Corporate Governance, Justin Danhof, says, “Despite its name, Dr. Martens is not actually led by medical doctors. Weighing in on controversial elective surgeries to promote one side of the transgender debate is not why the company was founded more than 75 years ago. Its purpose is to create quality shoes and boots — and that’s what it should focus on.”
Why do companies not focus on what they were created to do? Like, make a profit for their stockholders.
The book, written by Jagdish Sheth, deals with the topic "The Self Destructive Habits of Good Companies ... And How to Break Them" (Wharton School Publishing). It addresses why companies at the top of their industry suddenly disappear from the landscape.
It maintains that successful companies fall prey to complacency, arrogance, competency dependence, competitive myopia, territorial impulse, volume obsession, and denial, and it then goes on to suggest ways companies can change course and avoid these traps.
Chapter 3 deals specifically with "Arrogance: Pride before the Fall."
"In ancient Greek drama, arrogance — or hubris — was the 'tragic flaw' that led to the downfall of great heroes. In today’s world, the same flaw has caused mighty companies to stumble. Let’s consider a number of scenarios that are likely to give rise to arrogance."
He continues, "Like several of the other self-destructive habits, arrogance can arise from exceptional achievement. One situation especially predictive of arrogance is when a company, through unexpected or stunning accomplishment, catapults to the position of industry leader and then goes on to successfully defend itself against wave after wave of competitive, regulatory, and even public opinion assault. Quite naturally, such a company comes to believe it is immune to external forces — a belief bolstered by the media and its stakeholders (suppliers, dealers, and so on) –and its reputation is blown out of proportion. To me, this is the real meaning of “good to great”: The company doesn’t change, but its accomplishments are exaggerated by a media overly fond of big words and big stories. Gradually, the arrogance-prone company comes to believe its own press clippings."
It has been said, "Success courts its own demise."
The book then goes on to analyze a number of well-known companies that have failed or nearly failed for these reasons.
These businesses remind me of Rome and its empire.
The road to ruin.
Disney has shown us the way to the bottom of Magic Mountain. So did the Roman Empire.
Why?
The answer is found in Paul's letter to the Christians in Rome. And to all of us.
In Romans 1: 14, 15, Paul says:
"I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
This is the antithesis of pride and arrogance. It is the heart of a servant.
Verse 16 shows he understands his mission: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."
He explains that God has shown Himself to all of us, but some rebel and refuse to see God for who he is.
The result is (22), "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools."
Then there are the consequences: (24-28).
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves:
Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
For this cause, God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
And likewise, also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient.
Whether a nation, a company, or an individual comes to believe in human wisdom alone---they eventually become the fool.
The answer is turning to God and repenting. Disney and a number of other companies do not appear to be even considering any decisions based on biblical morality.
Neither did Rome.
I believe there is a move toward God in the youth of our country today.
The biggest part of the question is the personal part. What path are you walking?
Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Vigilant. Be Prayerful.